Maybe You Shouldn't Hide
by ElijahsElena
Summary: Some people should knock before barging in on a very private conversation.
1. Chapter 1

That scent. She knew that scent. God, did she know that scent. She'd spent three months with only that scent, surrounded by it, and here it was, invading her nose once again, but coming from someone with the wrong face.

"Is something wrong, Miss Marshall?"

The way he said her name, suddenly everything clicked. The over the top, dramatic, foolish persona, was just that, a persona, but she knew who hid behind that mask. She swore she did and rage flooded her system as she launched herself at him, over the desk.

"You really are something, you know that, _Professor?_" Hope spat out as she pinned him to the wall, her face twisted into a snarl.

Judging by the smirk on his face, she knew she was right about him. But that smirk that was so infuriating on his own face was down right enraging on Vardemus's. She wanted to hurt him, to tear that false face away and get to the one she knew hid beneath the disguise.

"Let me see you," Hope snarled.

"I wondered when you'd figure it out." His smirk widened and he pulled the ring off. Sliding it into his pocket, he exposed the dark eyes and curls she'd become so familiar with during their time together in the pit.

"It's been you the whole time?"

"Yes." He looked at her from under his lashes.

"Here I was feeling guilty for leaving you and you've been out almost as long as I have!"

"Not just out, but with powers of my own." He wrapped his hand around her arm and his hand turned to quicksand, but he released her after a moment and his hand returned to normal.

"So you really are going all out for Daddy Dearest, aren't you?"

She was so angry with him and that slightly deranged look in his eyes told her he probably expected her to slap him, so that only made her more furious. Before she could reconsider, she kissed him hard, tugging his lower lip between her teeth as she scraped her nails against his scalp.

To her surprise, Clarke responded by cradling her cheek and brushing his tongue softly against her lips. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. He was supposed to be as angry as she was, but the way his hand trembled against her, she found herself unable to stop or pull away. Something about him, the way he seemed so hesitant to kiss her, but knew what he was doing at the same time, it drew her in, intoxicating her.

Digging her fingers into his hair, she tugged him closer and opened her lips to his entreaty to explore. As he caressed her mouth and tongue with his, he made a soft sound in the back of his throat that woke something deep inside her and she wanted- she wanted more.

She slid one leg up his thigh and stood on tiptoe so she could access his mouth better. Him being a foot taller than she was was so unfair when she wanted nothing more than to make him submit, to make him bow.

After a moment, she pulled away from his mouth and kissed her way along his jaw before biting at his throat. He tilted his head back, giving her better access to him for a long moment, before he pushed off of the wall. His movements made Hope step back to keep her balance, and he guided her so that he could lift her up and seat her on the desk. Then, he stood between her thighs and hooked her leg around his waist, pressing fully against her.

"Hope." His breath fanned across her lips, his dark eyes intense, vulnerable.

Hope responded by digging her fingers into his curls and kissing him again, her grip securing him against her. As he deepened the kiss again, one of his hands trailed down her side, his long fingers exploring the line of exposed skin between her pants and shirt.

She couldn't believe this was happening. Malivore's most dangerous son kissing her like she was the oxygen he needed to breathe after being underwater. He could kill her in this moment and she would die happy, after knowing what it meant to experience true passion.

Clarke pushed her back against the desk and rocked his hips into hers, drawing a moan from her as he sucked on her throat, his teeth digging in for a moment.

"You're gonna leave a mark."

"You'll heal soon enough," he whispered, then kissed her neck again.

"God, how the hell are you so good at this?" Hope whispered, arching beneath his touch.

Instead of replying, he sucked on her throat once more, before biting her again, leaving another mark

"Hope," he whispered again as he kissed down to her chest that her shirt left exposed.

A clatter in the hallway and the doorknob rattling had them pulling away from each other and he slipped the ring back on, just as MG burst into the room.

"Headmaster, I-" He broke off when he saw Hope's disheveled state.

"Yes, Mr. Greasley?" 'Vardemus' straightened his collar as though he was completely unaffected by everything, though Hope could hear his heart pounding in his chest.

"Um, you look busy, so I'll um. I'll come back later," MG said as he looked from 'Vardemus' to Hope, his expression telling them just how weirded out he was by what he was seeing.

"The next time you feel the need to visit my office, be sure to knock."

"Right." MG backed out of the room and closed the door behind him.

Clarke removed the ring again, that smirk firmly in place.

"I don't know what's so funny. The entire school is going to hear about this by the end of the day and think things."

"Fortunately for us, you're eighteen and not a student here, so neither of us will get into trouble for this." He kissed her softly.

"But Dr. Saltzman-"

Clarke pressed his pointer finger against her lips, then traced the tip around the edges of her mouth, "Don't speak of him. Not right now."

He kissed her again, his tongue brushing against her lips, and she allowed him entrance as he slid his hand under her shirt, flattening his palm across her back.

"I'm not sleeping with you in this office." Hope brushed his curls out of his face and drew a shuddering breath.

"Pity." He pulled her flush against him, allowing her to feel every hard plain of his body, a knowing look in his eyes when she drew a sharp breath.

"I'd um, I'd better get going before there's credence to the rumors MG is likely circulating right now."

"If you leave looking like this, everyone will believe it." His smirk widened into a full on grin as he looked her up and down. "Not like it isn't true though."

"Looking like what?" Hope bit her lip and met his gaze.

"Like I've had my wicked way with you." Clarke cupped her jaw, brushing his thumb along her cheekbone.

Hope raked her fingers through her hair to smooth out the tangles he had put there before drawing it into a simple braid over one shoulder.

"Now you look a little less ravished, though those bites on your neck will have to heal before you can leave."

"What happens now?" She placed her hand over his heart and looked up at him. "Malivore wants me dead, and he sent you back to do it, didn't he?"

"Yes," Clarke admitted, lowering his gaze. "Except, I can't seem to be able to kill you."

"What makes you say that?

Clarke snorted once and said, "Every plan I've come up with to try to take you out, I think I sabotaged myself. Hell, you didn't even flinch when I showed you what I could do, like you knew I couldn't hurt you."

"Why can't you?"

"I think the last few minutes are enough of an explanation for that."

Hope placed her other hand against his neck and smiled softly.

"So you wouldn't be opposed to this happening again?" he asked, his jaw clenching as he tried to hide how vulnerable he truly was, though his eyes gave him away. She'd never noticed just how expressive his eyes were until tonight.

"I'm staying at the old Mikaelson mansion. Whenever you can get away without drawing suspicion, I wouldn't be opposed to you coming by for a visit." Hope cradled the back of his neck as she pressed a soft kiss to his lips.

"A visit?"

Hope bit her lip as she studied his face, the replied, "As long as you aren't opposed to staying the night."

"Are you sure?" he asked, suddenly insecure.

"What makes you ask that? Why would I not want you?"

"Everything I've heard."

"What did you hear that would make you think I wouldn't want this?" God, she wanted him. That kiss ignited a fire in her veins and she ached for more of him.

"From what I've been able to piece together, you're a virgin and you deserve better than me as your first."

"Come by the mansion and we'll see just how much I don't care about what you think I deserve."

"What do you think you deserve?" he asked hesitantly.

"Someone who knows what they're doing and who cares about what they're doing to me."

Hope couldn't believe her own boldness as she pressed herself against him, and took a deep breath when his reaction to her registered. He wanted her, far more than she'd ever been wanted before. His reactions were that of a man, and he wanted her in that way.

"How can you possibly want me?" he whispered.

"You might want to do your research into werewolf/vampire hybrids." Hope reached up and tugged on his collar, her gaze focusing on his lips.

"But you're more than that. You're the tribrid," Clarke protested.

"Yeah," Hope caught his lower lip between her teeth before she kissed him again. "But think about what it means, having both werewolf and vampire in me."

"What does it mean?" Clarke's gaze flicked to her lips before returning to her eyes.

"So it means once I run hot, I run really hot." Hope slid her hand down his chest. God, she desperately wanted to feel his skin against hers

"How hot?" He finally seemed to accept that Hope did in fact want him and now wanted to make her tell him.

"Come by my place later tonight when you get a chance. See for yourself." Hope stepped back and drew a deep breath to try to calm herself.

"What do you want to do to me?" A smirk graced his perfect lips.

"Why don't you come by and find out?" Hope grinned and headed towards the door.

"Tease."

"You'll survive." Hope allowed herself a backwards glance over her shoulder as she headed towards the door.

"What makes me thing you'll carry through with this?" Clarke asked, his tone caught between desperate and a challenge.

"You'll just have to wait and see, won't you?"

God damn. Why did someone so pretty make her feel like she was so vulnerable? First chance she got, she was going to make him pay.

As Hope walked towards the front door, she noticed that people were whispering and staring at her.

When she caught Raf's gaze, his face twisted as though he was in pain and he walked away quickly, as though he couldn't bear to be anywhere around her. Why would Raf be reacting like that and since when did he care?

"Is there something you want to tell me about?" Lizzie asked as she fell into step beside Hope.

"Like what?"

"Like what MG saw?"

"What did MG claim he saw?" Hope glanced up at the taller girl.

"According to him, you were getting down and dirty with the headmaster." Lizzie gagged. "I can't decide if that's worse than taking a trip to the shire."

"Is that what everyone is talking about, that I'm supposedly doing the headmaster?"

"Yes. So what did he see exactly?"

"A training exercise," Hope replied.

"Training." Lizzie raised an eyebrow, her expression doubtful.

"Yes. Training. Now I'm gonna head on home. I'll see you tomorrow." Hope waved as she bounded down the stairs and at out into the gathering dusk.

"We're still going to talk about this!" Lizzie shouted after her.

Tonight, she was going to lose her virginity and she needed to get ready.


	2. Chapter 2

Hope checked her reflection in the mirror one last time. With her blue eyes accented by soft makeup, her auburn hair is loose waves around her face, and a royal blue dress that showcased her body in the best way she could, she hoped she'd done herself up in a way that Ryan found appealing.

The knock on the front door had her running down the stairs and she opened it to find 'Vardemus' on the steps.

"Miss Marshall." He smirked as he entered the foyer.

"Get that ring off." Hope closed the door behind him.

Ryan grinned and slid the ring into his pants pocket.

"Did anyone see you leave?"

"It's after curfew." Ryan approached her slowly, then caught a curl around his finger. "But even if anyone had seen me, it wouldn't have stopped me."

"Being headmaster of a school for supernatural teenagers isn't enough drama for you? You want to be the topic of conversation for days?" Hope attempted to joke, but the way he was looking at her had her breath catching in her throat and she found herself staring at his plump lips. No man had any right to be as pretty as he was.

"They can say what they want. I don't care." He kissed her softly, his tongue caressing her lips in a way that had her stepping closer to him.

"They're already talking, you know."

"I'm aware of what they're saying about us, but nothing would get in the way of getting to see you like this." Ryan cradled her jaw, his thumb brushing over her lips.

"Like what?" Hope asked, leaning into his touch.

"Warm and wanting me."

Hope caught the hand on her face between both of hers, encouraging him towards the stairs, and they traded kisses the whole way to her bedroom.

At the doorway, Ryan stopped her.

"What?" Hope dug her fingers into his jacket, pulling it down his shoulders.

"Are you sure about this? Do you want me to be your first?"

"I'd say considering where we are and what we've been doing, that yes, I very much want this, with you." Hope opened the door and shoved his jacket the rest of the way off, and using magic, she tossed it over the back of a chair.

Ryan picked her up, guiding her legs to wrap around his waist and he walked towards the bed. Setting her down on the floor beside it, he found the zipper on her dress and tugged it down. Ryan looked her in the eye as he pulled the dress down her body, leaving her in a pair of black lacy panties and bra.

"You are so beautiful," he breathed as he pushed her back against the mattress and following her down.

Hope reached for the buttons on his shirt, but fumbled with them, unable to get them to come undone. With a growl of frustration, she ripped the shirt off, buttons flying in all directions, and threw it off to one side, making Ryan laugh as he kissed her again.

The feel of his skin beneath her fingers and pressed against her own body left her arching beneath him. She needed more, more of him, of his body, of his kisses, just more. As if reading her mind, Ryan removed the rest of his clothing, aside from a pair of skin tight black boxer briefs. Once he was as bare as she was, he settled between her parted thighs, his arousal pressing against her core and she bucked just a little as a soft moan tore from her throat.

Cradling her neck with one hand, he rolled onto his back, letting her take control for the time being. Hope ground against his erection as they continued kissing, pleasure zinging through her veins with every movement. As they kissed, Ryan's long fingers traced patterns on her back and down her sides.

After a moment, Hope rocked against him harder, needing the friction, and he caught her hips, stilling her movements.

"What?" Hope pulled away from his mouth and stared at him, confused.

"Keep that up and I won't last," he murmured as he kissed her again.

A flush spread across her face when she realized what he was referring to and her internal muscles clenched at the thought of him inside her. Ryan kissed her neck and down to her chest as, he undid her bra. As soon as it was undone, it too found its way to the floor and he flipped them so that he was on top of her.

"Ryan," Hope whispered as he caught one of her nipples lightly between his teeth, then circled the pebbled peak with his tongue.

He released her nipple, a smile gracing his full lips, then he caught the neglected breast in his mouth. As he teased her breasts, one of his hands slid down her body, until he was toying with the band of her panties.

"May I?" he breathed.

Hope lifted her hips just a little in assent and he stripped the last of her clothing away, leaving her completely bare. Instead of feeling shy, or anything else she'd heard of girls feeling during their first time, Hope found herself feeling emboldened by the expression of something akin to awe on Ryan's face.

"Touch me," Hope begged, grabbing his hand and placing it on her belly.

Her words drew him out of his trance and he said, "I'll do one better."

Before she could ask him what he meant, he pressed an open mouthed kiss to the most intimate part of her, then delved his tongue in. Hope arched her back, crying out at the sensation of his lips and tongue stroking her.

After several moments of him giving her the sweetest torture, he murmured against her, "I was going to ask what you thought of it, but I think I know."

"Shut up." Hope dug her fingers into his hair once more, desperately needing him to continue his ministrations. "Please, Ryan. Please."

"Greedy little thing, aren't you?" he teased as he complied.

This time, he slid two fingers inside her, curling them and Hope thrashed beneath him as that coil tightened in her lower belly. She knew what it meant, after all the times she'd brought herself pleasure, but it was somehow more intense this time and the sounds that fell from her lips grew more and more urgent. When had it ever been so good? If she'd known how much better it would be with someone else, she'd have jumped Ryan a long time ago.

Ryan seemed to know what was going on with her body and he redoubled his efforts, growling deep in his throat. In response, Hope bucked against him even harder.

"Ryan!" was all she could get out before the coil snapped and the only thing that mattered was the pleasure coursing through her veins.

As she caught her breath, Ryan cradled her against his chest, smoothing her hair out of her face.

"Wow," Hope breathed and pressed a kiss to his chest.

Tilting her head up, Ryan caught her lips in another kiss and the taste of herself on his tongue left her aching for more. She'd just been brought to release and now here she was, the ache in her lower belly building all over again and she hooked one leg around his waist, pulling him closer.

Ryan took the hint and removed the last article of clothing separating them, revealing his entire body to Hope's curious gaze. She'd seen naked men in pictures, but never in the flesh and Ryan didn't disappoint. He truly was the perfect male specimen.

"Like what you see?" Ryan asked as he knelt between her thighs.

"Very much."

Gripping her hips, he shifted her so that he was in position to take her, and then, Ryan leaned down and kissed her as he entered her slowly. His gentle movements allowed her body to stretch around him, to become familiar with his invasion and Hope drew a shuddering breath.

"God, you feel amazing," Ryan groaned and caught her knee over his elbow, giving him better access to her.

He withdrew slowly, then plunged back into her, the angle of his thrust stroking just so and Hope threw her head back with a moan. Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, she clawed at his back and Ryan kissed her hard as his rhythm stuttered once.

"You like pain?" Hope whispered.

"A little," Ryan admitted.

With a smirk, Hope bit his neck.

"Tease," he moaned.

The knowledge that he liked pain during sex broke her heart just a little. What had he endured to make him feel like he deserved to hurt while experiencing pleasure? She wanted to make him feel good, not harm him.

But if he wanted pain, she could give him a little and Hope scratched his back again, hard enough to tear skin and draw blood. In response to her nails ripping across his back Ryan cried out, throwing his head back as his thrusts sped up. As the wounds healed, Hope caressed him, soothing the pain and he shuddered in her embrace before he slammed into her, making Hope's back arch.

"Damn, Hope," Ryan ground out through clenched teeth, linking his fingers with hers and pinned her hand above her head, and kissed her again.

For a long moment, there was only the sounds of skin against skin and their moans, then coil tightened and Hope rocked hard beneath him. She was so close, just a little more, and then, it snapped, the wave cresting once more. Only this time, she wasn't alone in her pleasure because Ryan found his release almost immediately after she did, spilling inside her with a strangled whimper.

Ryan kissed her softly as they came down, rolling onto his back and taking her with him.

"Wow," Hope gasped.

"Did I live up to expectations?" Ryan chuckled.

"You know you exceeded them." She buried her face against his neck and used magic to pull the blankets up over their nude forms.

"You actually want me to stay?"

"Hmm, yes. I do. I told you you'd better plan on staying the night if you came over."

Ryan wrapped his arms around her, his hesitation to accept that she wanted him to stay after making love, almost comical after what they'd just done to each other.

Hope woke up, trying to figure out what was so different. What happened? Why did she feel so relaxed? Long fingers twisting her nipples brought the night before firmly to the front of her thoughts. Ryan. He'd stayed after they'd made love several more times during the night, and was now touching her again.

"Good morning," he murmured.

Hope sighed, her back arching, and moaned, "Hi."

Ryan pinned her beneath him and Hope grinned as she hooked one leg around his waist.

"Still so greedy."

"I think you've created a monster." Hope pressed her fingers against his full lips. God, since when did a guy have any right to look so pretty? And with his beard stubble shadowing his jaw, he was downright perfect.

"You kissed me first, so you only have yourself to blame for this."

The door slammed against the wall as Lizzie burst into the room. She looked from Ryan to Hope, her jaw dropping.

"Is there any particular reason why you've decided to barge in like this, this morning, Miss Saltzman?" Ryan asked, sounding so much like his Vardemus persona that Hope started giggling.

"I um, I didn't think Hope would be having company." Lizzie turned to Hope and said, "You and I are going to talk."

"Yeah, now please leave so we can get dressed."

"Right. Don't bother trying to run from me, Hope Andrea. You've got some explaining to do." Lizzie closed the door behind herself, leaving them alone.

"I suppose leaving as the headmaster is out of the question with Lizzie waiting downstairs," Ryan sighed.

"You don't want people to see you you leaving my house."

"Do you really want to risk having Alaric see me and start asking questions?"

"I suppose I can distract her and no one will see you as you besides her and I can get her to swear to secrecy."

"And showering together is also out of the question?" Ryan raised an eyebrow as he climbed out of bed.

"Unless you want to go back to campus smelling like me."

"I wouldn't mind that too much, all things considered, but it would lead to some unnecessary questions." Picking up his ruined shirt, he raised an eyebrow in her direction.

"Um, there are some of my dad's cloths in the closet and they might fit."

"Thank you." He opened the closet door without even bothering to cover up at all.

Hope lay back against the pillows, watching him as he moved around the room.

"Keep watching me like that and I'll never leave."

"Maybe I don't want you to."

He chewed on his lip for a moment before crawling back into bed with her.

"Lizzie-"

"Can wait," he said as he wrapped her legs around his waist.

Hope arched, desperate for the ache he'd ignited in her when he woke her up to be soothed.


	3. Chapter 3

After they'd both showered and dressed, they walked down the stairs to find Lizzie pacing in the foyer.

"I'll see you later, Hope." Ryan pressed a kiss to the top of her head and wrapped his arms around her, emphasizing their height difference as he brushed a loose curl out of her face.

"Tonight?" Hope asked.

"I'll be here." He released her and walked towards the door.

"Spill!" Lizzie whispered, grabbing Hope's arm, dragging her towards a nearby sitting room.

Right as Ryan opened the door, he slipped the ring on, becoming Vardemus once more, and he smirked at Hope as he closed the door behind him.

As they sat on a sofa, Lizzie turned to Hope and demanded, "Two things, what are you thinking, sleeping with a Triad agent, admittedly a gorgeous one, and why would MG think you're screwing the headmaster?"

"Former Triad agent and Ryan's not human, so don't worry about that."

"What is he?"

"He's um, he's."

"I'm gonna trust you that you know what you're doing with him and not going to ask so I can claim innocence if people try to get things out of me."

"Thanks." Hope smiled at her friend.

"So you and he are…. What?"

"Um, we are, um, I don't know. It's confusing and not something I ever planned on happening."

"So, how did it start?"

"I kissed him because he made me mad," Hope admitted. "Turns out, he can be sweet with he's not being a know it all ass. And he gets me in a way no guy has ever gotten me before, even when he's driving me crazy."

"Hope's got a crush!" Lizzie said in a sing song voice.

"Shut up."

"I have to say, your taste in men has improved, because that guy, Ryan, he's all man."

"He most definitely is." Hope grinned, memories of his bare body playing through her thoughts.

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Hope Mikaelson."

"Considering who I just spent the night with, that's kinda difficult."

"So why would MG think you were screwing Vardemus?"

"I told you, Vardemus has been talking to me about helping me keep from falling behind since I don't want to go to the Salvatore School. Anyways, today, he tried catching me by surprise to prove I need to continue my magical education and very nearly succeeded."

"Considering you've got someone who'd make Adonis jealous in your bed, MG must have a very active imagination to see what he says he saw." Lizzie raised an eyebrow at Hope as though she wondered if there was more to the story than her friend was telling.

"Trust me, Vardemus holds no appeal for me, so whatever MG saw, wasn't what he thought."

Lizzie's stomach growled and both girls giggled.

"Have you eaten?" Lizzie asked.

"No."

"I missed breakfast too, so, come by the school and we'll see if the kitchen staff has anything left over, because I'm not through with you.."

"Sounds good."

"Are you going to regale me with stories about what Ryan's like in bed?" Lizzie grinned.

"I'm not sure you'll be able to look at him after this if I did, considering some of the things he likes." Hope pulled a light jacket on and the two girls left the house.

"What does he like?" Lizzie lifted her hand to her face to shield her eyes from the sun.

"Nothing too weird, just not exactly vanilla."

When they walked into the kitchen, they found 'Vardemus' putting together a plate of food.

"Good morning Miss Saltzman, Miss Marshall."

"Good morning, Professor." Hope fought a grin as she grabbed a plate. She could feel his gaze on her and she fought the urge to look over at him. Not only would it be the wrong face staring back at her, but it would make Lizzie even more suspicious.

"Looks like we're not the only ones who missed breakfast," Lizzie commented, her eyes narrowing.

"Yes, well, I'm afraid I had a rather late night." He poured some hot water into a mug and added a tea bag. "It's a pity there isn't proper tea around here."

If Hope didn't know any better, she'd think he was putting on the accent even more.

"You've been headmaster long enough that you can't blame Dr. Saltzman for the lack of 'proper tea', now can you?" Hope attempted to keep up the snippy tone she'd had with him yesterday. But knowing who was behind that face and what they'd shared the night before made it difficult.

"Would you like to join us, Headmaster?" Lizzie smiled too brightly as she and Hope took a seat at the table.

_Please don't. Please don't. _Hope begged silently. His scent filling her lungs made it difficult to think about anything other than the pleasure he brought her and she knew she wouldn't be able to keep it together much longer.

"Not today, Miss Saltzman. Perhaps some other time." With one last smirk in Hope's direction, he took his food and tea, and left the room.

"Okay, what was that about?" Lizzie hissed.

"Can we not talk about the rumors MG started and the professor is likely going to give me a hard time about later?"

"Fine. I don't want to talk about the headmaster anyway. Tell me more about things with Ryan."

"We're just seeing where this goes."

"I'm guessing he's good in bed, otherwise you would have come right down stairs, instead of letting him have his way with you again."

"He exceeded all my expectations."

Lizzie giggled and they continued with their meal.

After rinsing off their plates, Lizzie and Hope headed out to the main part of the school. As they walked, the stares and whispers were even worse than the day before.

"I'm gonna kill MG," Hope growled.

"Get in line."

"Hello, Hope." Landon shifted from one foot to the other as he stopped in their path.

"Landon, what's up?"

"Just- nothing." He turned on his heel and headed back the way he came.

Raf caught Landon's arm and they started whispering softly. Raf stared at Hope for a long moment, his eyes sad.

"I wonder just how much you smell like Ryan," Lizzie whispered. "Because every person with a sharp nose keeps looking at you."

"We didn't shower together, so I shouldn't smell too much like him."

"But you do probably have that lingering scent of sex so they're putting two and two together and coming up with eight?"

"I'm gonna head out. Maybe I'll get lucky and there will be a Malivore monster to take down."

"And I'm gonna talk to Mom, make sure this doesn't get too far out of control and the wrong person tells her what they think is going on. She'll believe me when I tell her what I saw this morning," Lizzie said in a low voice. "See you at the Grill later?"

"Say about five?"

"Give you time to see if any new monsters are around and me time to talk to my mom."

"See ya." Hope waved and headed towards the door.

"So you're not screwing the headmaster?" Kaleb asked, falling into step beside her.

"The guy I'm sleeping with looks nothing like the headmaster, trust me."

4:53 PM found Hope sitting at a booth, waiting for Lizzie to arrive.

"Naughty girl." A firm hand on her shoulder had her looking up to find 'Ardemus' looking down at her.

"How am I breaking the rules, Professor?" Hope looked up with what she hoped was an innocent expression on her face.

"It's all over the school that you smelled like sex and that I spent the night out, and the only thing keeping Ms. Forbes from investigating is Miss Saltzman's word that nothing untoward is happening between her headmaster and a town girl."

"And how is this my fault?" Hope fought a smile.

"You started this. Perhaps a moment of your time to remind you of that?" He indicated the bathroom with a tilt of his head.

Glancing around to make sure no one she knew was around, Hope headed towards the bathroom. Just as she rounded the corner, she found herself dragged into the men's bathroom and Ryan staring down at her, smirk fully in place.

"Are you trying to get caught?" Hope gasped as he pinned her against the wall, his mouth firmly attached to her neck.

"Mmm, but it's so much fun."

"Who's the tease now?"

Hope slid one leg up his thigh and scraped her nails against his scalp, then tugged on his hair as hard as she could without tearing it out, to bring him the pain he seemed to enjoy during sex. In response, Ryan kissed her lips, sliding his tongue between her lips as he moved his hand under her shirt to cup her breast through her bra. Just as she started working at the buttons on his collar, the door swung open and Alaric Saltzman stared at the pair, eyes wide.

"Dr. Saltzman." Hope made no move to separate herself from Ryan.

"I'll um, I'll give you a moment to get straightened up." Alaric glanced at them, confusion all over his face.

Once the door closed behind Alaric, Hope started giggling.

"How are we going to get out of this one?" Ryan asked. "I can't exactly leave this room without alerting him to the fact that I am not exactly honest about my appearance."

"I can distract him enough, get him to scold me, and then you can leave without anyone noticing that it's not 'you' leaving the bathroom."

Ryan released his hold on her, setting her feet on the ground, then he kissed her gently. Cupping her cheek, he rested his forehead against hers.

"Will I still be able to see you tonight?" Hope asked, searching his face.

"I'll be there after curfew."

Hope pressed a soft kiss to his lips and headed towards the door.

"Tonight, I wonder if you'd like to be introduced to some new things."

"Like what?"

Ryan chewed on his cheek, then said, "I was thinking about showing you how I like to be hurt, what really gets me off."

"What really gets you off?" Hope felt a part of her start to shrivel up and shrink away. Was she not enough for him?

Ryan grabbed her arm, his voice desperate as he said, "No, it's not like that. Sex with you is incredible, Hope, but there are things I need and I'd like to teach them to you, if you're willing."

"So teach me." Hope stood on tiptoe and bit his lower lip, then exited the bathroom only to come face to face with Alaric, turning him so his back was facing the door.

"Hope." Alaric folded his arms across his chest.

"Dr. Saltzman."

"Care to explain what you were doing in the men's bathroom?"

As he spoke, 'Vardemus' exited, though Alaric was too busy scolding Hope to notice.

"I think it was pretty obvious. I was kissing a very hot guy that I slept with last night. And since you've seen him, you can confirm that he is not in fact, Vardemus." Hope rolled her eyes. This was not a conversation she wanted to have with him.

"Who is he?"

"He's a guy who's a lot older than he looks and don't worry, I know him well enough to know he's dangerous, but I think I can trust him, eventually."

"Hope."

"Don't, Dr. Saltzman." Hope held up her hand, cutting him off. "I know what I'm doing with him."

"Hope! Is everything alright?" Lizzie joined them then.

"Your dad caught me with Ryan in the men's bathroom."

"Oh, do tell." Lizzie caught Hope's arm and led her to a table.

When they got to the main room, Hope glanced around to find Vardemus seated at the bar, a glass of bourbon in front of him and he lifted his glass in salute.

"Can I get you guys anything? Do you need a menu?" a waitress asked.

"Coke and fries," Lizzie replied.

"Peanut butter blast, whipped cream on the bottom, and fries."

"You got it." The waitress scribbled on her note pad as she walked away.

"So my dad actually caught you?" Lizzie giggled.

"Up against a wall with Ryan's tongue down my throat." Hope started laughing. "I think it's my curse to have people walk in on me at the worst times."

"Maybe we should have a 'if the door is closed, knock' lesson at school."

"Make sure to include your dad since he barged in this time."

"Well, you were getting it on in the men's room."

The waitress arrived with their orders and set it down.

"Hi." Josie walked up to them and shuffled awkwardly for a moment.

"You wanna join us?" Hope asked.

"Sure." Josie slid into the seat beside Lizzie. "So, what are we talking about?"

Hope and Lizzie exchanged glances, then Lizzie grinned and launched into the tale.


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Contains knifeplay**

About an hour before curfew, a note appeared on the bed beside her with the words _Hope M. _written neatly across the front. She didn't recognize the writing and could only assume it was Ryan using his stolen powers to send her this. Opening it she found the words _Here are some things to read before I teach you how I like to be hurt _along with several web addresses.

Curious now, Hope looked up the first address to find an article about knife play and she read the page slowly. The thought of teasing him with the blades with him helpless to stop her, it appealed to her, far more than she thought it would. Maybe it was the vampire in her, or maybe she just wanted to cause pain on a willing partner, but the more she read, the more excited she became.

When she pulled up the second page, she found that it was about bindings and blindfolds. He wanted to be truly helpless and completely at her mercy, didn't he?

The last page was all about aftercare and Hope read this one even more quickly than the other two.. Wrecking him so badly that he wouldn't be able to smirk, and then tending to him afterwards sounded like the perfect way to spend the night with the man who'd become her lover.

Hope picked up a piece of paper and wrote _Wear something you wouldn't mind having get cut off. __Send your safe words. _Folding it up, she addressed it _Professor. _With a flick of her wrist, Hope sent the message to Ryan and stood up. It was time to get ready.

After going through Rebekah's clothing that she'd left behind, Hope found a pair of black, leather pants, and a tight fitting, low cut, long sleeved, black top. Though Rebekah was several inches taller than she was, Hope's curves filled out the clothing just enough that it gave her the look she was trying to go for. A pair of high heels and some bright red lipstick later, she was ready for Ryan's visit.

When she returned to her room, she found another folded piece of paper on her bed with her name on the front.

_Green, go. Yellow, slow down. Red, stop. No and stop are still obeyed._

"Take your socks, shoes, and belt off," Hope directed, closing the bedroom door behind them.

"Yes, ma'am."

Setting the two foot long, narrow box down on the dresser, Ryan did as she directed., leaving himself in his slacks and button down shirt.

"So, you do want to play?" His full lips twisted up just a little and he looked at her from under his lashes.

"I wouldn't have sent the note I did if I wasn't interested." Curious as to what he could have brought along with him, Hope ran her fingers along the edge of the box. "What's this?"

"Open it." He shifted nervously.

Hope did as he requested and found knives, soft cotton rope, and a blindfold neatly situated inside. She'd planned on using magic on him, but if he wanted it this way, who was she to argue with him? He was teaching her what he liked and Hope wasn't inclined to argue since she wanted to know.

After examining the items in the box for a long moment, she ran one fingernail along the dull side of the nearest knife unable to resist imagining herself using it on him.. Slowly, she picked one up and glanced at Ryan. When he met her gaze, his breathing quickened and he swallowed thickly.

Do you want to continue?"

"I want to try." Hope chewed on her inner cheek for a moment before asking, "What are your limits?"

"I like scrapes and scratches, and don't mind small amounts of blood. But if you cut too deep and it goes from a pleasurable sting to painful very quickly, even with my healing."

"So don't cut through more than a few layers of skin."

Hope trailed the tip of the dull side of the blade up the column of his throat and Ryan tilted his head back, exhaling sharply. Damn, but he was responsive. This was going to be even more fun than she'd thought, because at this rate, there was a good chance he was going to be begging before they were naked.

"That's the general- oh, God- general idea."

"Blindfold or no?" She took the knife down to the hollow of his throat and slowly brought it back up to his chin.

"Maybe hold off on that until next time."

"You don't trust me?" Hope stood on tip toe and kissed him.

"More like I want to watch you do this to me, because I can't believe you want me like this."

"Why wouldn't I want someone who submits to me like this?" She continued to trail the knife along his jaw as she spoke.

"You actually want a submissive partner? You're not just doing this to humor me?"

"I'm a natural born alpha and being with you woke that in me. So, why would I want anyone else when you bow to my will the way you do?" As soon as the words left her mouth, she sliced open the top of his shirt, the button bouncing across the floor.

"Hope," he breathed.

"Yes?" She raised an eyebrow at him as she teased the second button.

"Please."

Meeting his gaze, she cut each button off one at a time until the shirt hung open, exposing his chest.

"Are you determined to destroy all of my clothes?"

"What can I say? You look so much better wearing nothing." Hope pushed him back towards the bed as she spoke. "Strip, then lie back against the pillows, with your hands above your head."

"Yes, ma'am." Ryan did as she commanded, then watched her with lidded eyes.

Raising her hand, Hope uttered a spell and bound his wrists to the headboard with the rope from his box. Once she was certain he was secured, she kicked off her shoes and straddled his stomach.

"What shall I do with you?" she asked as she pressed the flat side of the knife against his lips, before running the sharp side of the blade down the middle of his chest.

"Fear me, love me, do as I say, and I will be your slave."

"You're seriously quoting movies now?" Hope giggled.

"It's a good quote."

Instead of replying, she pressed the blade into his skin a little more and brought it across from one of his nipples to the other and Ryan's grin faded instantly and his hands tightened around the ropes as he threw his head back. Then, she drew the knife longways down his chest, leaving a wide swath of reddening skin in her wake. Leaning over, she soothed the irritated skin with her tongue, which drew a whimper from deep in the back of his throat.

Emboldened by his reaction, Hope sliced one upper arm from shoulder to elbow, then the other, just hard enough to draw tiny lines of blood. This brought a groan from him and as the wounds faded, Hope kissed his neck, running the fingers of her free hand through his mussed curls to bring sweet pleasure after the pain.

"Is that too much?" Hope asked as she tugged lightly on the ends of his hair.

He'd said that a little blood was fine, but she still wanted to be sure that he was okay.

"Don't stop. Oh, god, please. Don't stop," he pleaded.

She bit her lower lip, then shifted so that she was sitting on his legs, just above his knees. Keeping her gaze on his, she brought the blade up to his inner thigh and traced patterns back down. His lips trembled and he jerked just a little beneath her.

"May I?" she trailed the knife back up to his pubic bone.

"Dull side only," he choked out.

As she drew the knife along his length, Hope listened to his breathing, loving the way it changed in response to what she was doing to him.

"You're so perfect," Hope murmured as she ran the blade back up. "I don't know how much longer I can tease you before it becomes too much."

Ryan exhaled sharply, then whispered, "Please."

That was the last prompting she needed to remove her clothing as quickly as she could and sending the knife back to the box with magic, before taking him inside her. In this position, she could take him so much deeper than she'd been able to in any other position they'd tried and she loved it. Feeling so full of him with him so completely at her mercy with his hands bound above his head, she never felt more powerful

"Hope!" he cried out, bucking up against her.

God, seeing this dangerous, powerful being so vulnerable, it filled her with a desperate need to make him fall apart, and she started to ride him as hard as she dared.

"Not gonna last," he moaned. "Please, Hope. Not gonna last!"

"Good." She moved harder then, when she realized he could handle it.

His mouth fell open and he writhed against the sheets, helpless to the pleasure coursing through him.

"Let go," Hope hissed as she purposely tightened around him as hard as she could.

He thrust up a few more times, then his eyes rolled back into his head and he spent himself inside her.

As he caught his breath, Hope moved so that she was kneeling beside him. Reaching up, she undid the ropes with a wave of her hand and started rubbing one of his wrists, then the other. As the redness faded, she kissed the soft skin of his inner arm, and ran her hands down his arms, massaging his trembling muscles until he stopped shaking.

"Hope." Ryan caught her and pulled her back on top of him.

"What? You don't need to do this."

"I want to." He slid his hand down her body, cupping her between her legs.

"I-"

"Shh. Just let me do this, please." He slid two long fingers into her and started to stroke.

"Ryan," Hope moaned as she kissed wherever she could reach and ran her hands over his chest.

"God, Hope. You're gonna make me hard again," he breathed against her temple.

That was all it took before she too she found her release.

When she came back to herself, she rolled onto her back and pulled him down so that he was lying with his head resting against her chest. With a contented sigh, Ryan buried his face against her neck as Hope used magic to bring the blankets to cover their sweat slicked bodies.

"Thank you," he whispered.

"You're going to have to teach me more, because I like this, with you."

"So I didn't disappoint?"

"Far from it. You're a fantastic lover and an even better teacher." Hope yawned and with a flick of her wrist, turned off the light.

"Thank you, Hope. For being willing to explore this."

"Thank you for introducing me to this." She kissed the top of his head and pressed her cheek against his dark curls. "Goodnight, Ryan."

"Night, Hope."

Yet another morning found Hope yanked out of sleep because of the door banging against the wall and she yanked the sheets higher over her body as she sat up.

"Not again," Ryan mumbled.

"What the hell?"

"I could be asking you the same thing, Kaleb!" Hope snapped. "What are you guys doing here?"

Hope looked from Kaleb, to Landon, to Rafael, to MG, brows raised. She felt Ryan shifting to sit up behind her and then he wrapped his arm around her waist as he kissed her shoulder. She looked back at him and him and didn't bother fighting a giggle at his tossled bedhead and sleepy smile.

"We thought you were-" Kaleb looked from Hope to Ryan. "I don't get it."

"Get what?" Ryan pressed his lips to her temple as his hand found its way between her legs, not that the boys in the doorway would know that.

"You smell like-" Kaleb cut himself off again and shook his head.

"You seriously aren't sleeping with Vardemus?" MG asked, confused.

"No, I'm seriously not." She bit her lip to keep from moaning at his wandering fingers.

"Do I look like that decrepit fossil?"

Hope snickered again, prompting Ryan to bite her neck lightly.

"Could you get out? We're naked and we need to shower."

"Unless they'd like a demonstration. I highly doubt any of them except for possibly Kaleb know what it's actually like to please a woman."

"I'm not a virgin," Rafael protested.

"I never said 'virgin' anywhere in that sentence." Ryan sucked on her neck, just beneath her ear and Hope tilted her head to give him better access.

Too far gone to care that the boys would know what they were doing, Hope lifted her hand and threw them out of her bedroom, then locked the door behind them.


	5. Chapter 5

Steam clouded the shower and Hope leaned against the wall, loving the way Ryan was touching her.

"Let me do this," he whispered as he kissed his way down her stomach. "Please."

Hope studied his face, the pleading in his dark eyes had her spreading her legs in acquiesce and Ryan hooked one leg over his shoulder, kissing her softly.

"Ryan," Hope moaned, throwing her head back against the shower wall with a thunk.

He chuckled from his place on his knees between her legs, but he continued with shallow flicks of his tongue. It provided just enough pressure to make her writhe, but not enough to ease the ache he ignited in her.

"Damn you." She ground against his face. "You're a terrible tease."

"But the payoff is so worth it."

Hope whined in frustration, and groaned, "You're gonna pay for this later."

"Good," Ryan whispered.

It was then that he gave in to her demands. So that's what he wanted. He wanted to rile her up to the point she had no choice but to punish him later for his antics. Oh, she was definitely going to punish him for this tonight. Brat.

Her thoughts cut off as the coil in her lower belly tightened and all she could think about was the pleasure her lover was bringing her. Suddenly, the wave crested and she lost her footing. Before she hit the floor, Ryan cradled her against him as her body quivered.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled herself up his body and wrapped her legs around his waist. Ryan braced her between his body and the wall as he kissed her, his tongue brushing softly against hers.

As he kissed her, he snapped his hips, drawing a sharp gasp from Hope's lips. Determined to make this as pleasurable for him as she could, Hope clawed at his shoulders, the scent of his blood filling the air of the steam filled shower, and he cried out, rocking into her harder.

"Oh, Hope," Ryan whispered her name like a prayer. "You're amazing."

In response, Hope raked her nails across his chest as she pressed kisses to his neck and jaw.

"Who's the tease now?" Ryan groaned

Catching her lower lip between his teeth, he tugged lightly as he pressed his thumb against her most sensitive place between her legs. Hope arched beneath his touch and she shattered again, with Ryan following right behind her, barely having time to catch his balance on a rail so they didn't end up on the floor.

When she caught her breath, Hope started laughing.

"What?"

"Showers aren't the greatest place to have sex in."

"Only if you can't keep your footing."

"I thought you were terribly clumsy," Hope teased, nipping lightly at his jaw.

"Not like this. Not with you." Ryan caught his lower lip between his teeth and he smiled.

Finally accepting that they needed to leave the shower soon, Hope used magic to turn the water off and pressed soft kisses against his chest.

"I swear, I can't get enough of you," Ryan breathed.

"Good." Hope pressed the pads of her fingers against his lips, loving the feel of his breath against her skin.

Shuffling downstairs caught her attention and she ducked her face against his chest as she giggled.

"What?" Ryan asked, confused, since he couldn't hear what she could.

"There are people in this house who can hear everything we've done."

"Hmm, in that case, we should get dressed," Ryan said as Hope led him towards the bedroom. "Though I will need to raid the closet again, since you seem determined to destroy all my clothing in an effort to get me naked.

Hope slapped his ass for that remark. In response, he laughed as he slung his pants over his shoulder and disappeared into the closet. He emerged a few moments later, and she found herself unable to look away from him as he pulled a dark gray Henley over his head. God, he was beautiful.

"You wanna make them wait even longer?" Ryan teased as he stepped close enough to her that his torso brushed against hers. "I wouldn't mind."

"They've already heard enough of our sex life."

"True."

"Once they're gone, I think I should have my way with you, punish you for just now." Hope stood on tiptoe and kissed him softly, the taste of herself still on his tongue threatening to make her do as he suggested and forget their unwanted visitors.

His grin widened as he said, "Who cares about them? Maybe if I take you to bed again, they'll give up and leave."

"I think you've got it a little confused." Hope caught his lip between her teeth, releasing him slowly, and grinned. "You're the one who's gonna get taken to bed."

"Either way, we end up in the same place."

"You're bad." Hope hit his shoulder, a smile firmly in place.

"What are you going to do about it?" Ryan challenged.

"You know what I'm going to do about it. Come on. We'd better get down there." Hope tugged at his arm, trying to encourage him towards the door.

"It's only rude to make them wait if they were invited." Ryan boxed her in against the wall with his arms.

Hope ducked under his arm, giggling.

"Fine." Ryan gave a long-suffering sigh and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Go. I'll be down in a minute." She added with a whisper, "I'm gonna send a message to Lizzie. I really don't want to deal with these guys without her."

"Fair warning that if I'm going down there alone, I can't be held responsible for anything I might say." He kissed her lips, then headed towards the door.

"Behave."

Ryan smirked. "How should I behave?"

"Just- you know what I mean." Hope threw his torn shirt at him.

"I'm going to pay for this later, aren't I?" He caught the material and grinned.

"Yes."

"That's not much motivation to 'behave.'" He closed the door behind him before she could throw anything else at him and Hope didn't bother trying to suppress her laughter.

As she wrote a note asking Lizzie to help her out, Hope listened to the conversation downstairs.

"So you're sleeping with Hope?" Landon demanded.

"Obviously." There was the sound of a couch giving as Ryan made himself comfortable. "Not even you are naive enough to believe that nothing happened last night, considering we were sharing a bed, naked when you barged in on us."

"How long has this been going on?"

"Long enough for it to not be any of your business."

Hope tiptoed towards the stairs, curious now.

"So you just show back up after disappearing to who knows where and she goes for you. I don't understand. What do you have that I don't?"

"I could give you an answer, but you won't like what I have to say. But that is a question you should ask her."

"What is she to you? Do you even care about her?"

"I care, Landon," Ryan growled, growing irritated.

"Why?"

"She's someone that I don't have to be anything other than what I am when I'm with her. She accepts all of me, without fear and without judgment." Ryan exhaled heavily, then added, "She's my salvation. With her, it's the first time I've ever felt free of my nightmares."

"Doesn't sound like she gets much out of it."

"She knows that her darkness doesn't frighten me and she can be herself, truly herself, without feeling like she has to hold back since with me, she doesn't have to be afraid of hurting anyone. And, she also knows that I'll be whatever she needs me to be, and that in me, she will find acceptance, not matter what, though she also knows that I won't placate her if she makes a mistake."

"_You are such a child!"_ His words rang through her mind and she realized that he understood her and how she viewed him better than even she did.

He was being far more open than he probably intended to be, most likely due to his annoyance with Landon and Hope decided it was time to interfere. She came down the stairs then, making sure to step a little harder than she normally would, to make sure they knew she was there.

It surprised her that he was willing to be so candid with his younger brother, especially with an audience, so it was better to cut them off before things got too intense. He might get upset with himself if that carefully cultivated mask of emotionlessness was destroyed before he was ready for it to be and that could lead to him shutting everyone out including her.

When she entered the room, she found Ryan lying across one couch with the students sitting around the room, staring at him. Raf and Landon were upset, while MG and Kaleb seemed more confused.

Raf slid over, to make room for her on the couch between him and Landon, but she made her way over to the couch Ryan lay across. Stopping beside Ryan, she tapped his shoulder to get his attention and he looked up at her, confused.

"Sit up for a second."

Ryan did as she requested and Hope sat down behind him, stretching her legs alongside him as she pulled him against her. Ryan lay back with his head pillowed against her stomach, and he closed his eyes with a contented sigh. Once they were both comfortable, Hope slid one hand beneath the collar of his shirt, tracing patterns against his skin, and stroked his curls with the other.

"Well, this isn't what I was expecting," Kaleb commented, probably in effort to change the subject.

"What were you expecting?"

Hope could hear the smirk in his voice and she tugged on his hair in an effort to remind him to be nice. Ryan caught the hand on his chest and kissed her inner wrist, then returned it to it's original position.

"Wait, this is what you actually look like, isn't it?" Kaleb asked.

"This is the face I had when I first came into existence," Ryan replied, choosing his words carefully.

"Hello! Hope? If you guys are naked this time, I'm leaving!" Lizzie called from the doorway.

"In here! And yes, we're dressed!" Hope replied.

Lizzie entered the room, followed by Josie. Josie looked over at Landon and her face crumpled. If Hope didn't have Ryan lying mostly on top of her, she'd have gone to Josie and given her a hug, if the younger witch would have let her.

"So, according to your note, you were rudely awakened this morning by some unwanted intruders." Lizzie looked at the pair of them lying on the couch. "And judging by the fact that both of you have damp hair, I'm guessing you made them wait for _reasons_, considering what time they left campus this morning."

"_Various_ reasons." Ryan smirked.

"Trust me, I'm aware."

"You should be, all things considered."

Hope slapped him lightly, but there was no strength behind the hit. There was no sense in being ashamed of enjoying what she and Ryan did to each other. She just didn't want to make it seem like she was rubbing it in that she was happy while Josie was heartbroken over Landon's actions.

"Wow, Hope, I'm beginning to think you were right. The two of you are cursed to have people walk in on you," Lizzie joked.

"Told you." Hope rubbed her cheek against Ryan's hair.

"Is something wrong, Josie?" Ryan asked Josie. Clearly, his time as Vardemus had taught him to care about the dark haired Saltzman.

"I'm fine." Josie tried to smile, but she looked over at Landon and she fought back tears.

"Did you break up with her?" Ryan raised an eyebrow in Landon's direction. "Dick move, little brother."

"Hold on, you're Landon's brother?" Lizzie looked from Hope to Ryan as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"He is," Hope confirmed.

"Half brothers," Landon added mutinously.

"They don't get along," Hope explained when Lizzie seemed more confused than before.

"No kidding," Landon cut in.

"Would it help if I apologized?" Ryan asked, his tone mocking

"Would you mean it?" Landon asked.

"No." This prompted Hope to pull on his hair and Ryan looked up at her, his lips pulled into that infuriating smirk as he said, "But I do promise not to try it again."

"You'd better not. Because that means you're being Daddy Dearest's good little minion again." Hope flicked his nose and kissed his forehead.

"Was this morning really necessary?" Raf cut in, his emotions finally getting the best of him.

"You're the ones who barged into my bedroom, knowing I had company, and I'm entitled to do what I want, with _whichever_ willing partner I want to in there, regardless of who it is."

"So you jumped from Landon straight to sleeping with his brother?" Raf asked, that undercurrent of rage in his voice growing stronger.

"Who I sleep with is none of your business, especially since I'm not sleeping with you."

Ryan rubbed Hope's forearm in an effort to calm her so she wouldn't jump off the couch. Whether is was because he didn't want to move, or because he knew she would be upset with herself later if she hurt anyone, Hope wasn't sure, but she was thankful he did it.

"Awfully judgy coming from someone who moved on pretty quick after his girlfriend died who he claimed to love with his whole heart, and in less time than Hope did, I might add," Lizzie snapped. "Don't look at me like that, Hope. You know he did."

Rafael's mouth tightened, but he fell silent in the face of Lizzie's accusation.

"So, if he's related to Landon, is he a phoenix too?" MG asked.

"His name's Ryan and you can ask him yourself," Hope said, a soft smile playing around her lips as she traced one finger down the side of Ryan's face from his eyebrow to his stubble roughened jaw.

"So, are you?"

"No, though in the centuries I've been alive, I haven't found anything that can kill me." He looked up at Hope, his lips curled up just a little. "However, all things considered, I'd say Hope is the only one who can end my life."

"Fortunately for you, I like you too much to do that." She kissed his forehead. With him being created from Malivore, it was entirely possible that he was right. She was his weakness too, though in more ways than one.

Kaleb stood up then, and grabbed MG's arm. "Come on. I think we've heard enough and Hope doesn't need to explain herself. If she trusts him enough that she'd sleep with him, we've got no business butting into her life, even if she's sleeping with a former Triad agent."

Hope raised an eyebrow at him and he shrugged as if to say 'What?' in response.

"Okay," MG relented. "Just be careful, alright? You're the founding member of the avengers' squad and we care about you."

"Thanks, and yes, I am being careful." Hope smiled at them and the two vampires flashed away.

Hope closed her eyes and leaned against the back of the couch as she twisted Ryan's curls around her fingers.

"You're going to make my hair completely unmanageable," Ryan murmured.

"It's already unmanageable unless you use half a bottle of hair gel."

"It doesn't take half a bottle, and I don't use gel. I use styling paste."

"Hmm. But you look better with messy hair. Bed head is definitely your best look."

"God, you two are disgustingly sweet," Lizzie faked a gag.

"So, you're going to just forget everything that happened with me?" Landon cut in, as if he could no longer bear to watch her with his brother.

Hope looked up at him, brow raised as she retorted, "When I gave you the chance to get answers, you walked away, so I don't owe you anything, especially not when it comes to Ryan."

"Did you even think about how I'd feel about this?" Landon jumped to his feet. "How could you be so selfish?"

Ryan braced himself on his elbows so he could look at his younger brother full in the face and he scoffed.

"You haven't even consider why I did what I did! I jumped into the pit to try to save you, and then I stayed quiet about who I really was when I came back because I didn't want to interfere if people were moving on and were happy. How is that selfish?"

"Yet, as soon as I remember, you go for my jackass brother, who tried to kill me, I might add!"

"You're still alive, so I don't see why you're still upset about that." Ryan shrugged and closed his eyes.

Hope was so angry at this point that she didn't even bother scolding Ryan for his comment.

"Like that makes it any better!"

"You'd made it clear you didn't want anything to do with me, Landon. Not to mention that associating with you would hurt Josie even more than you already did, and she's my friend, so I definitely won't do that to her. As for Lizzie, she will side with her sister because that's was family is supposed to do, so I had no one. Then Ryan was there and suddenly I didn't feel so alone anymore."

"You could have told me!" Raf stood up.

"You told me we couldn't be friends." Hope took a deep breath, trying to calm herself a bit. "Now, I want both of you out of my house and don't come back."

The two boys stood up, scowling, but did as she demanded.

"Wow," Lizzie breathed once they were gone.

"You wanted me and Landon to be happy?" Josie asked, fighting tears.

"Yes."

"Okay." Josie nodded, tears trickling down her cheeks.

"I'm so sorry, Josie."

"I know." Josie sniffed and rubbed her eyes. "It's gonna take time, but I'd like to be your friend again, eventually."

"Take your time. I'll be here."

"I've, um, I've got some homework to finish," Josie said, in a lame excuse to leave without seeming rude.

"See you around." This wasn't how it was supposed to be between them. They'd known each other too long to be torn apart by a guy, but things seemed headed that way and Hope hated it.

"We can meet at The Grill after school tomorrow, if you want," Lizzie said as she followed Josie towards the door.

"Sounds good."

With a quick wave, the twins left, and the closing door felt almost like a death knell.


	6. Chapter 6

Once they were gone, Hope found herself shrinking in on herself. What right did Raf and Landon have to make demands of her? Raf told her they couldn't be friends and Landon walked away from her when she gave him a chance to talk about whatever he wanted. But as soon as she found someone else, they acted like they were owed something.

Ryan shifted so that he was sitting up and Hope drew her knees to her chin. She didn't realize she was crying until he reached up and brushed a tear away.

"I feel stupid."

"Why?"

"For getting all upset like this." Hope scrubbed her hand across her cheek.

"You care about them and they hurt you, even Josie, though her actions are understandable." He pulled her into his arms and tucked her head under his chin.

His gentleness was all it took for her to break, and she cried. Everything she'd been holding in since Freya left, feeling like she no longer fit in with the people she once called friends, for the loss of her first real love, and everything she still had to face, it all crashed through and she couldn't fight the tidal wave in her soul.

"You're the strongest, kindest person I've ever met," Ryan assured her as he pressed his lips against her hair.

"I don't feel very strong and I'm tired of being kind."

"After everything you've been through, I think you've earned the right to feel like that right now."

"Why? Why did they do this? Why can't they just leave me alone? They didn't want anything to do with me, until I got involved with you. So why?"

"Because they're children, and like all children, they have a hard time accepting that the world moves on whether they want it to or not," Ryan murmured as he kissed her forehead and carded his fingers through her hair.

Hope dug one of her hands into the curls at the base of his neck and pressed her face against his skin. Gah, why did it feel so right, letting herself be vulnerable with him? Aside from the Hollow and Malivore, he was the most dangerous being she'd ever encountered, yet, in his arms, she felt safe enough to cry.

Ryan stretched on on the couch, taking Hope with him, so that she lay with her head against his chest.

"Don't go back to school," Hope whispered. "Please."

"I suppose I could write a letter of resignation and disappear. Then have my 'Vardemus' effects sent somewhere and just not pick them up, so no one knows for sure what happened to him."

"Sounds like a plan. Just please, don't leave me."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"Promise?"

"I swear it."

"Everyone leaves. How do I know you won't?"

"I would have to be taken away by force to leave you. And if I do happen to be taken from you, I'd trust you to come after me."

"Of course I'd rescue you." Hope kissed his chest above the collar of his shirt. "Leave a letter for Josie though. She looks up to Vardemus, so it would crush her if he disappeared without explanation. And as much as she's been through lately, she deserves something."

"You know her as a friend, so what do you think I should say to her?"

Hope chewed on her cheek for a moment, then said, "Personal circumstances beyond your control have forced you to leave unexpectedly, but you're proud of the witch she is and you hope that she finds a mentor who can truly be there for her."

"Which would let me stop being Vardemus, yet assure her that it's not her fault that Vardemus can't be around anymore."

"And it would allow Vardemus to disappear, leading Dr. Saltzman on a wild goose chase once he realizes you were very bad and killed those poor people. Because you know he found your DNA at that bar and he ran it."

"If he's does that, it won't take him long to realize I was the other person at the pit if he's been studying it as much as I believe he has been."

"If anyone comes after you, they're going to have to go through me," Hope said fiercely.

"You're really not angry with me about killing those people? I didn't have a reason to do it, except the woman made me angry because she smelled like my father, yet she seemed to be happy and free of him, while I was still his slave. As for the man? Well, he witnessed what I'd done, so I took him out too."

"Yes, it upsets me that you killed them, but I'd be the world's worst hypocrite if I cut you off for some misguided murders when I come from the bloodiest family in history." Hope sat back and looked him in the eye. "I'm not excusing you and I hope you don't feel the need to keep killing people just because they're in your way or they make you angry."

"If I don't change, you'll be the one leaving, won't you?" Ryan asked, lowering his gaze and hanging his head.

"I won't have a choice. If I stay, I'd feel like I was validating your bad behavior and, given the choice between that and what I know is right, I'd have to choose myself."

Ryan's mouth twisted and something broke in his expression.

"Ryan, look at me." Hope cupped his cheek, brushing her thumb beneath his eye. "I'm not demanding that you change immediately and I know there's a chance that something like this will happen again. I'm just asking that you try."

"I've been the way that I have been for centuries. So if I were to change, it would take time. It's a habit now."

"If my father could change, mostly, I have faith in you." Hope kissed him softly on the lips.

"I'll try. I can't promise that I'll be any good at being, well, good, but I'll try."

"You don't need to be perfect, just be more mindful about who you kill."

"I can do that." He brushed his cheek against her inner wrist, then slowly disentangled himself from Hope and stood up. "Time to write those letters."

"I'll send them for you, because you are not putting that ring back on." Hope climbed off the couch.

"Why? You don't think I look like a distinguished older gentleman?" he feigned shock.

"No. I think you look, and act, ridiculous."

"You wound me."

Hope stood on tiptoe to kiss his neck and said, "You didn't seem so wounded when you were in my bed."

"You caught me." Ryan linked their fingers and pulled her along with him towards the stairs. "Now, where would I go for writing supplies?"

"Pen and paper are in Uncle Elijah's desk." Her throat tightened as she thought of her fallen uncle.

"Hope?"

"I miss him. Most people only think of my mom and dad when they think of the people I've lost, but Uncle Elijah was just as important to me. Family is supposed to be always and forever, but I guess sometimes, you have to choose who you spend your forever with."

Hope shrank in on herself, but Ryan wrapped his arms around her, not allowing her to shut out the world. She buried her face against his chest and dug her fingers into his shirt, allowing his scent and touch to keep her grounded. Like this, she could feel the pain without being overwhelmed completely.

"You know you were loved and they died, knowing you loved them. That's more than some people have in their entire lives," Ryan whispered against her hair.

As tall as he was, she felt so small and safe and she didn't want to move, but standing on the stairs wasn't the safest, even for two nearly indestructible people, though her indestructibility involved her dying first.

Hope stepped out of his embrace and up the stairs a little as she said, "Come on. Let's get the stuff you need for your letters so you can stop pretending to be Vardemus."

"Lead the way." Ryan waved his hand down the hall.

As Ryan sat down to write, Hope leaned against him and ran her fingers through his hair.

"Keep touching me like that and I might put it off again," he chuckled, the promise thick in his voice.

"If you don't finish those letters, I won't let you touch me." Hope bit his earlobe.

"Then, I'm going to have to ask you to stop, because you're distracting me and if I'm not careful, I might write something along the lines of 'I'm leaving because I want to spend more time screwing Hope Mikaelson.'"

"If you write that, I'll drag you up there to explain in person why you're leaving, shirtless and with a blindfold."

"Hmmm. Kinky."

"Just write those letters."

"Yes ma'am."

Hope flopped across her uncle's bed and for a moment, she thought she caught his scent, though she knew it was simply her imagination. He hadn't been in this room since before she was born, so there was no way the bed still smelled like him.

The bed gave a few moments later and then, Hope felt a weight on her. Looking up, she found herself face to face with Ryan.

"The letters are ready. One for Caroline Forbes, and one for Josie Saltzman, as requested." He waved the envelopes in the air.

Hope pushed him off her and sat on her ankles. Holding her hands out, she murmured a spell and, after a few moments, both letters were sent away.

"There, now. I don't have to see my ridiculous little brother again and pretend that I worship the ground he walks on."

Hope yawned and Ryan scooped her up into his arms.

"What are you doing?" Hope giggled.

"Making sure you get enough sleep. After all, you were rudely awakened this morning."

"Sleep sounds nice."

As Ryan pulled the blankets over their bodies a few minutes later, Hope asked, "Why did you befriend Josie?"

"If you must know my initial plan was to use her against you, because somewhere in my fear of my father and what he was doing to me, the stupid idea of taking over your body and becoming you seemed like a good idea."

"What?" Hope scoffed.

"I said it was stupid," Ryan chuckled. "But then, you caught me by surprise. You showed me that you actually felt something for me, that you didn't just use me for company in the pit."

"We spent three months there. That's a long time when you've got no one else, nothing else to interrupt you."

"Then it would upset you to know that I'm dying."

"What?" Hope sat up, staring at him in shock.

"He gave me a shelf life. I killed the Keeper and the bar tender because consuming them gives me a little more time, but even that can't hold things off for much longer. Soon, I will return to the form I was in before he gave me life."

"No! No! You can't die! You promised you wouldn't leave me!"

"I promised I wouldn't leave of my own will," he corrected gently.

"You're not, you know, telling me this because you're planning to use me to try to save you?" Hope leaned back, staring at him.

"No. If anything, the last few days, it's showed me something."

"What?"

"I'm in love with you, Hope. And if all the happiness I get is the time I'm with you, then I'll take it." He looked down at his hands. "Use the truth spell if you don't believe me."

Hope did the spell quickly, then asked, "Are you in love with me?"

"Yes."

"Why did you tell me you're dying?"

"Because I want to be honest with you. You deserve that much from me."

"You killed those people because you're dying, and I got angry with you." Hope caught both of his hands in hers.

"The bartender was a bit much though, and don't feel guilty about what you didn't know. I didn't want you to know."

After she released him from the spell, Hope said, "We'll find a way to save you, I swear."

"How? I've been cut off by my creator."

"What if?" Hope broke off, then looked at Ryan, her eyes bright. "What if I find a way to create a body for you, one bound by my blood instead of Malivore? And if we run out of time, we put you inside my head, kind of like you were planning, except but I remain in control? That would buy us some time to save you."

"You'd do that?"

"I would. I just have to find a way to make a golem and put you inside it."

"If you were the one to create a body for me, only you could destroy me, for real."

"I'll find a way, Ryan, I swear. I won't let Malivore take you away from me."

Ryan's lips twisted up into that infuriating smirk. "If you recreate me, what does that make you? I mean, I do consider Malivore my father."

"Your sire, since I'd be making you as immortal as I can." Hope slapped him lightly.

"I've got centuries of golem knowledge in my head. When you've had a nap, we'll start going through what I know and see if we can create the spell we need."

Hope pushed Ryan back onto the bed and tucked her head under his chin.

"You don't get to leave me," Hope whispered. "Not ever."

"I'm here, Hope. I'm here."


	7. Chapter 7

That afternoon, Hope and Ryan sat on the floor, surrounded by papers full of notes Ryan had scribbled down while Hope was asleep.

"Hope!" Alaric shouted from the front entrance.

"In here!" Hope replied.

Alaric strode into the room.

"Dr. Saltzman," Hope didn't look up from where she was writing out her own spell.

"You'd need to add this to make it work." Ryan handed her a note.

"Calm down. I know. And no, I don't want to know what monster Malivore spat out this time, if it doesn't require my immediate attention, and yes, I'm aware of who and what Ryan is, so don't start." Hope shuffled through the papers and studied the piece she picked up, then copied a portion of the notes.

"This is my life we're talking about here."

"Okay, fine, I won't tell you about the sphinx, but do you know what he did the other night?" Alaric demanded.

"He killed two people, yes, I'm aware. Now, I'm trying to find a way to keep him from having to do it again. Oh, and as for the sphinx, the answer is man."

"Contrary to popular belief, I'm not a fan of being the way I've behaved recently, and know that most of it has been beyond my control." Ryan glanced over Hope's writings. Tapping the page, he set another piece of paper in front of her as he said, "You need to add this prefix here if you want the results we discussed earlier."

"Hope, what are you doing?" Alaric asked, concern bleeding into his voice

"If I don't tell you, you don't have to lie later."

"Are you trying to help him with whatever he's got going on?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Hope continued writing, then showed Ryan the page. "How's that?"

"That should work for the first part."

"Hope, what are you thinking?"

"That I screwed him over by leaving him behind, so I'm gonna save him from the fate I left him to."

"Hope, Malivore spat him out for a reason."

"Don't, Dr. Saltzman. I know him better than you do."

"How do you know he's not just using you?"

"Truth spell." Hope turned back to her writing. To Ryan she said, "Who needs stacks of books when you've got a walking library of lore about what you are?"

"I told you. I've spent my entire life trying to free myself from my father. I know as much as there is to know about my kind."

"Why didn't you try this before?"

"Because I've never had a reason to actually fight to stay alive."

"Hope, please."

"Dr. Saltzman, I know you're trying to look out for me, but please, let me do this. Let me help him." Hope smiled at Alaric and added, "You don't need to worry about me."

"Your swan dive into the Malivore pit tells me otherwise."

"That was a split second decision, but this isn't. I do know what I'm doing. I'm using magic to save someone from a monster."

"Call me if you need anything." Alaric looked at Ryan, and his lips thinned. "You hurt her, and Malivore will be the least of your worries."

"Thanks, Dr. Saltzman. I think we'll be okay though," Hope said. She caught one of Ryan's hands in hers and rubbed her thumb against his wrist.

"There's nothing I can do to talk you out of this, is there?"

"No."

"Alright. I'll be by later. Just promise me you'll be safe." Alaric stuck his thumbs into his pockets and headed towards the door.

"We'll be as safe as we can be, considering what we're doing and this is why you need to leave, so you can still claim plausible deniability until the spell is complete." Hope held up her hand and said, "The spell will just affect him directly, so don't worry about that, but it could piss someone very powerful off."

"Okay, keep me out of the loop if you need to, but let me know if something happens and I need to know."

"I will."

Alaric disappeared around the corner, then a few moments later, the door closed behind them and Hope turned her full focus to the spell, aside from her grip on Ryan's fingers.

Ryan suddenly pulled his hand away and stared at it, then clenched in a few times.

"What's wrong?"

"My father sped up the process of killing me," he whispered, terror in his eyes.

"How do you know?"

"Because I can feel it."

"So, it looks like we're going to have to do the spell as soon as we think we've got it done. Because as much as I like having you inside me, having you inside my head is a little much."

Ryan smirked, then asked, "Won't you need a full moon?"

"It'll be harder, for sure, but I think I can do it without it."

"May I see?" He held out his hand and Hope gave him the spell. He looked it over carefully. "This is as close as we can get without turning me into another Malivore."

"And it will let you keep your face."

"Why? You don't want to face it that you've been kissing mud?" Ryan snorted in self-derision.

"It's not that. It's that this face, you seem most comfortable behind it and looking like Malivore is probably nowhere on your list of things to do with your life." Hope stood up.

"Already?"

"The sooner we get this done, the sooner Malivore loses control over you. Come on."

Together, they gathered the spell ingredients necessary, then headed out into the gathering dusk.

XXXX

Hours later found Hope carving the image of her lover carved out of mud, the scent of rust and iron lacing the air. Murmuring another spell, she cut her wrist again, infusing Ryan's new body with more of her blood.

Already she felt so drained, but she had to keep going. She was almost finished and the sooner they got him into his new body, the better off he would all be. He'd possibly be stronger, and he'd definitely be off Malivore's menu since he'd have too much of her blood in him.

Finally, it was complete. All she had to do now was place him inside his new form.

"Lie down here." Hope tapped the ground beside her, on the opposite side of the empty shell awaiting its new occupant.

Ryan did as directed and Hope raised her hands over the two bodies. As the spell left her lips, light flowed up from the decaying body and into the new one. After several tense seconds, he drew his first breath in the new body and he opened his eyes.

"How do you feel?" Hope placed her hand on his chest, the feel of his heartbeat beneath her fingers soothing her frayed nerves.

Ryan sat up slowly, then looked over at his old body, every muscle tensing.

"Get rid of it," he whispered, his lips thinning. "Destroy it!"

She reached out her hand and with a quick spell, the body faded to dust and the soft breeze carried it away.

"Thank you," he breathed.

"How do you feel?" she asked again.

"Strange." He stared at her, his dark eyes filled with an emotion she couldn't quite name. "I feel so strange."

"Good strange? Bad strange?" Hope traced his lower lip with the pad of her pointer finger and Ryan kissed her inner wrist.

"I don't know."

"Come on. Let's get inside. I think we both need a bath." Hope caught one of his hands in both of hers and pulled him towards the house.

In the bathroom, Hope started running warm water into the tub, then she guided him to sit down in it. Grabbing a soft cloth, Hope soaped it up, then started running it over his limbs. Every so often, she would rinse the mud off, then soap the cloth up and repeat the process.

"You don't have to do this."

"I want to though, so suck it up."

Ryan said nothing, though he relaxed considerably more beneath her touch.

"Are you okay?" Hope asked.

He blinked, focusing on her face for a moment, before saying, "It's all just so much. Everything feels so much more."

"It'll take some time to adjust to your new body, but I'm not going anywhere. I'm here, to help you." Hope cupped his cheek and smiled sadly. "I mean, technically, you are a part of my sire line and I won't fail again."

Steam clouded the bathroom as Hope continued scrubbing away the mud.

"Once a mud man, always a mud man," Ryan murmured as he watched the grime disappear down the drain.

"You're my mud man and I like you just the way you are, so shut it."

Ryan's lips curled up just a little, but he didn't seem able to smile all the way.

"Talk to me, what are you feeling?"

He was so quiet, so subdued, that Hope worried there was something wrong, that she'd messed up somehow.

"I'm free of my father and all I feel about that is emptiness," Ryan confessed.

"When you've spent centuries with one goal, achieving that goal, it can leave you feeling a bit adrift until you find a new purpose."

"Do you speak from experience?"

"My dad's experience." Hope smoothed a curl off his forehead. "I guess it's true that when a daddy's girl is irresistibly drawn to a man, it's because he's just like her dad."

Leaning over, she kissed him, her tongue sliding between his lips.

Hope grabbed the handle of the shower head and pulled it off its hook and rinsed away the soap and traces of mud off his pale skin and out of his hair. Ryan closed his eyes, a sigh falling from his lips, as she ran her hands over his body.

After she was satisfied that the last of the mud was gone, Hope hooked the shower head back up, then placed the stopper into the drain and poured some lavender soap into the water. Standing up, she stripped out of her clothes and climbed into the tub with him, straddling his thighs.

"Hope," Ryan breathed.

Hope dug her fingers into his hair and he rubbed his cheek against her wrist. Leaning over, Hope kissed his neck and Ryan tilted his head back with a soft sigh. He brought one hand up, cradling the back of her neck. His scent, it was slightly altered, though still familiar enough that she'd know it was him anywhere.

"I love you," Ryan whispered.

In response, Hope nipped at his earlobe and trailed her lips along his jaw until she neared his mouth.

"Stay with me." Hope kissed him, her teeth pulling on his lower lip.

Her shifting sent water sloshing towards the side of the tub and she reached behind her and used magic to turn the water off.

Once the water was off, Hope started kissing him again, their tongues sliding against each other. After a few moments, it was Ryan's turn to kiss her neck and further down until his lips closed over one of her nipples.

"Don't leave me," Hope sighed as she dug her fingers into his hair. "Please, don't ever leave me."

"I'm here," he breathed, then caught her other nipple in his mouth.

She caught the back of his head and brought his mouth back to her. Then, rising up on her knees, Hope took him inside her and, Ryan's mouth fell open as his eyes closed. When Hope rocked her hips, his back arched, her name coming from him in a strangled moan.

Slowly, oh so slowly, Hope rode him while keeping her gaze on his. Something about the vulnerability in his eyes told her than pain would not be on the agenda tonight, because tonight, he needed gentleness and love.

"Harder, please," Ryan begged and Hope acquiesced.

Seeing him like this, his dark eyes fixed on her, feeling him moving beneath her, she couldn't imagine ever not wanting him.

Soon, she felt her orgasm building and she braced herself on his chest so she could ride him faster.

"Hope. God, Hope, please." Ryan writhed.

A few moments later had Hope crying out as she found her release and Ryan wasn't far behind.

As the last shudders faded from her small frame, Hope reluctantly stood up and held her hand out to Ryan.

"Do we have to?" Ryan pouted, playful now.

"I'm tired enough that I could fall asleep in the bath if I stay in it much longer."

Ryan got to his feet and Hope drained the tub before grabbing a large, fluffy towel and they traded kisses while running the cloth over their skin.

When they finally got to the bed, Hope could hardly keep her eyes open and Ryan wrapped his arms around her, pressing her back against his chest.

"Thank you," he whispered as he kissed her shoulder.

"You're too important to me for me to let you die when I can stop it," Hope mumbled as sleep started to drag her under.


	8. Chapter 8

Hope woke up first and stared down at her sleeping lover. As she watched him breathe, a wicked thought crossed her mind. Now would be the perfect time to pay him back.

Lifting her hand, she opened his box with magic and called the roped to her. Once his wrists were securely bound, she caught the blindfold and carefully slipped it over his eyes. Satisfied with her handiwork, Hope slid the blankets down his body, scattering kisses across his skin as she moved.

By the time she reached her intended goal, he was already partially aroused, though he slept on.

Staring down at him, doubt crept in. What if she couldn't do this? What if she messed up so badly that he never let her do anything like this again?

With a determined shake of her head, she leaned over and took him into her mouth carefully. He was still somewhat soft, until she dragged her tongue along the tip as best she could. That had its intended effect and soon Ryan was rocking his hips softly, though he still remained asleep.

Well, that wouldn't do. Smirking around him, she dragged her nails down his inner thigh, hard enough for him to realize that this wasn't a dream.

"Hope?" he mumbled.

She released him long enough to say, "Shhh, it's punishment for your bad behavior."

"Doesn't feel much like punishment."

"It will," she promised, then took his length as deep into her mouth as she comfortably could.

Feeling him respond, hearing the soft moans he made, almost as though he couldn't believe she wanted to do this to him, it made her want to destroy whoever had made him feel like he wasn't worthy of pleasure and she redoubled her efforts.

"Oh, god damn, Hope," he groaned.

When he started thrusting in earnest, Hope sat up and he whined deep in the back of his throat.

Leaning down, she whispered against his lips, "Don't make a sound, don't climax until I say. No matter what. Or I get myself off, and I make sure you don't get to until tonight. Am I clear?"

"Yes, ma'am." Ryan fought back a grin, but his eagerness bled through.

"Good."

Hope nipped at his neck and he exhaled.

Reaching over her shoulder, she called a knife to her and pressed the broad side against his chest. He jerked in response to the chill of the steel on his skin, but still, he kept silent.

"Careful. You might hurt yourself." Hope murmured as she traced the dull side around one nipple than the other.

Slowly, she trailed the blade up his throat, to his lips.

"That mouth, the way you use it," she traced the shape of it as she spoke, "whether you're talking or not, it's got a way of getting you into trouble. You know that right? Answer me."

"Yes, ma'am," he moaned.

"No more sounds out of you, unless I say, and you'll obey because you're so good at doing what I say." Hope bit his nipple, then soothed the mark with her tongue.

Ryan wrapped his hands around the ropes binding his wrists and clenched his jaw in the effort it took to please her by keeping silent.

Goddamn it, he had ruined her for anyone else. There was no way she'd be able to take another lover after experiencing the perfection of a partner who submitted to her after challenging her into punishing him.

She dragged the blade down the middle of his chest, leaving an angry red line behind.

"So good." She left open mouthed kisses down the healing wound. "So damn good."

Every muscle strained against the ropes in response and if she didn't love the power his reactions brought her, she'd take pity on him for the torment she was causing him.

Setting the blade aside, Hope kissed him slowly, she took him fully inside her, causing his back to arch. He drew a sharp breath, but as promised, he didn't vocalize his pleasure and when she scratched his chest, he threw his head back, but again, no sound let his lips.

"You're so perfect," Hope hissed as she rode him. "So damn perfect."

Ryan's lips moved as if saying her name, but he managed to keep from vocalizing anything. Desperate to try to break him to make him use his voice, Hope started to ride him in earnest and he writhed against the sheets, but still kept quiet.

"How the hell are you able to obey the way you do? Take everything I do to you so well? Because damn, I can't take it anymore. God, I can feel it. Gonna come, sweetheart. Damn it, I'm gonna come and you're so good at keeping silent."

When she found her release a few moments later, she cried out something that may have been his name, but not even she was certain of that.

When she caught her breath, she looked down at her lover where he lay beneath her, a tortured expression on his face as he desperately fought against the sweet relief letting go would bring.

"Come for me," she commanded, digging her fingernails into his chest as she tightened around him as hard as she could. "I want to hear you."

Throwing his head back, he cried out her name as he let go, his body jerking with the force of his pleasure. Hope watched him, transfixed. She'd done this to him, made him bow to her will completely. He'd trusted her enough to let her shatter him like this.

As he caught his breath, Hope shifted, her movement causing him to slip out of her and he shuddered from over sensitivity.

The door slammed against the wall and Hope turned to find Kol staring at them, wide eyed.

"Bloody hell, I didn't need to know what you was into," Kol shouted.

Instead of saying anything, Hope threw him out and locked the door.

"Again? People just can't leave us alone," she sighed and buried her face against her lover's neck.

"I'll be back in an hour. Make it two, while I get a drink, or three." Then there was the sound of Kol walking away and they were alone once more.

"Hope?" Ryan whispered, uncertainty bleeding into his voice.

"It's okay. Shh, shh. It's okay." She kissed his cheek as she removed the blindfold. "It was just my uncle Kol. If he tries anything, I'll make sure he regrets it.

Gently, she released his hands and kissed his wrists, unable to fight the soft smile as she did so. His limbs trembled as blood returned to them and she massaged him to ease the strain she'd put on them.

As she soothed away the aches she'd caused him, he watched her, his expression so open and vulnerable, that once she was finished, Hope found herself wrapping her arms around him and rolling onto her side, so she could press his face against her neck. He was so much bigger than she was that he should have made her feel small in comparison, but instead, she felt this overwhelming need to protect him, care for him.

Gently, she carded her fingers through his hair and whispered, "What would I do without you? I don't even want to think about it. You fit me, in every way I never knew I needed until now."

"I love you," he mumbled against her neck. "I know you don't feel that way about me, but this is enough."

Tugging on his hair lightly so he'd lift his head, Hope looked him in the eye as she said, "I'm not sure exactly how to describe what I feel for you. But I care about you, more than as just a friend, or someone I like to have sex with. Being with you makes me happier than I'd ever thought I'd be with anyone outside my family."

A genuine smile tugged at his full lips and he tucked his head back against her neck. Hope rolled onto her back, taking him with her so that he was lying across her body, and traced patterns across his shoulders.

"When do you think your uncle will be back?"

"Who knows? With Kol, he'll show up when he feels like it." Hope kissed his temple and pressed her cheek against his curls.

"You don't sound worried."

"It's Kol. If anyone can understand caring about someone they're not supposed to, it's him."

Ryan remained silent, waiting for Hope to continue, so she did, telling him how Kol met and fell in love with Davina Claire, the witch he was supposed to stop at all costs. As she spoke, she continued twisting locks of his hair around her fingers, loving the feel of the silken strands.

Finally, she ended her tale and fell silent.

"Your family has a history of loving people who they're not supposed to."

Instead of replying, Hope shifted beneath him so that she was cradling his hips between her thighs, then she scraped her nails across his back. Something twisted in her heart at his words and she couldn't bring herself to speak. So she responded the only way she could, by using her body to do the talking for her.

Sex was easier than trying to voice what she was feeling, since she herself couldn't even understand the emotions playing through her mind and heart. Giving into her lust didn't require thinking or baring her heart to anyone, even to the man she'd taken as a lover.

"You're doing this on purpose. You're an evil tease." Ryan rocked against her, exhaling heavily as he grit his teeth.

"So do something about it," Hope challenged, kissing his shoulder.

"Minx."

With a sharp thrust of his hips, he was inside her once more, filling her, stretching her so deliciously that Hope knew that she'd be addicted to his body for the rest of her life.

"Damn." He buried his face into her neck as he started to move. "Goddamn."

"You feel better every time," Hope hissed, wrapping one leg around his waist as high as she could and bracing her other heel into the bed so she could match him thrust for thrust.

"You're incredible. Hope. Goddamn, I love you."

He shifted the angle of his thrusts so that he could stroke that place inside her. Nothing felt better to her than having Ryan between her legs, whether she was dominating him, or they were making love like this.

"Yes, just like that!" Hope arched, encouraging him on.

To further increase her pleasure, Ryan pressed his thumb against her clit and rubbed it hard, making Hope scream. She thrashed beneath him, bucking as hard as she could, as she clawed her nails into him, desperate for the ecstasy he brought her.

A shocking realization dawned on her as her climax overtook her. She was in love with him. Desperately, completely, wholly in love with the man known as Ryan Clarke. The emotions flooding her heightened her pleasure and she cried out.

As her orgasm faded, Hope blinked, to find Ryan staring at her, dark eyes wide and vulnerable, on the verge of tears.

"What's wrong?" Hope asked, concerned.

"You love me?" He breathed, his lips trembling.

She'd said that out loud? She hadn't realized it, but judging by the expression on his face, her inward thoughts had been vocalized. Cradling his cheek and brushing her thumb across his lips, she brushed her lips across his forehead.

"Hope. Answer me, please," he begged, his voice cracking.

She smiled now, her heart swelling once more with the knowledge that she loved the man she'd taken into her bed and inside her body. Now, he held a place within her heart. Tracing the furrows between his eyes, she kissed his cheek.

This was the love of a woman, not the puppy love of a girl first exploring romance that she'd felt for his brother, and this change in how she loved was why it took her longer to understand the feelings she had for the man in her arms.

"Yes, Ryan, I love you." Hope kissed him softly, the taste of salt on her lips.


	9. Chapter 9

Hope woke up first and stared down at her sleeping lover. As she watched him breathe, a wicked thought crossed her mind. Now would be the perfect time to pay him back.

Lifting her hand, she opened his box with magic and called the roped to her. Once his wrists were securely bound, she caught the blindfold and carefully slipped it over his eyes. Satisfied with her handiwork, Hope slid the blankets down his body, scattering kisses across his skin as she moved.

By the time she reached her intended goal, he was already partially aroused, though he slept on.

Staring down at him, doubt crept in. What if she couldn't do this? What if she messed up so badly that he never let her do anything like this again?

With a determined shake of her head, she leaned over and took him into her mouth carefully. He was still somewhat soft, until she dragged her tongue along the tip as best she could. That had its intended effect and soon Ryan was rocking his hips softly, though he still remained asleep.

Well, that wouldn't do. Smirking around him, she dragged her nails down his inner thigh, hard enough for him to realize that this wasn't a dream.

"Hope?" he mumbled.

She released him long enough to say, "Shhh, it's punishment for your bad behavior."

"Doesn't feel much like punishment."

"It will," she promised, then took his length as deep into her mouth as she comfortably could.

Feeling him respond, hearing the soft moans he made, almost as though he couldn't believe she wanted to do this to him, it made her want to destroy whoever had made him feel like he wasn't worthy of pleasure and she redoubled her efforts.

"Oh, god damn, Hope," he groaned.

When he started thrusting in earnest, Hope sat up and he whined deep in the back of his throat.

Leaning down, she whispered against his lips, "Don't make a sound, don't climax until I say. No matter what. Or I get myself off, and I make sure you don't get to until tonight. Am I clear?"

"Yes, ma'am." Ryan fought back a grin, but his eagerness bled through.

"Good."

Hope nipped at his neck and he exhaled.

Reaching over her shoulder, she called a knife to her and pressed the broad side against his chest. He jerked in response to the chill of the steel on his skin, but still, he kept silent.

"Careful. You might hurt yourself." Hope murmured as she traced the dull side around one nipple than the other.

Slowly, she trailed the blade up his throat, to his lips.

"That mouth, the way you use it," she traced the shape of it as she spoke, "whether you're talking or not, it's got a way of getting you into trouble. You know that right? Answer me."

"Yes, ma'am," he moaned.

"No more sounds out of you, unless I say, and you'll obey because you're so good at doing what I say." Hope bit his nipple, then soothed the mark with her tongue.

Ryan wrapped his hands around the ropes binding his wrists and clenched his jaw in the effort it took to please her by keeping silent.

Goddamn it, he had ruined her for anyone else. There was no way she'd be able to take another lover after experiencing the perfection of a partner who submitted to her after challenging her into punishing him.

She dragged the blade down the middle of his chest, leaving an angry red line behind.

"So good." She left open mouthed kisses down the healing wound. "So damn good."

Every muscle strained against the ropes in response and if she didn't love the power his reactions brought her, she'd take pity on him for the torment she was causing him.

Setting the blade aside, Hope kissed him slowly, she took him fully inside her, causing his back to arch. He drew a sharp breath, but as promised, he didn't vocalize his pleasure and when she scratched his chest, he threw his head back, but again, no sound let his lips.

"You're so perfect," Hope hissed as she rode him. "So damn perfect."

Ryan's lips moved as if saying her name, but he managed to keep from vocalizing anything. Desperate to try to break him to make him use his voice, Hope started to ride him in earnest and he writhed against the sheets, but still kept quiet.

"How the hell are you able to obey the way you do? Take everything I do to you so well? Because damn, I can't take it anymore. God, I can feel it. Gonna come, sweetheart. Damn it, I'm gonna come and you're so good at keeping silent."

When she found her release a few moments later, she cried out something that may have been his name, but not even she was certain of that.

When she caught her breath, she looked down at her lover where he lay beneath her, a tortured expression on his face as he desperately fought against the sweet relief letting go would bring.

"Come for me," she commanded, digging her fingernails into his chest as she tightened around him as hard as she could. "I want to hear you."

Throwing his head back, he cried out her name as he let go, his body jerking with the force of his pleasure. Hope watched him, transfixed. She'd done this to him, made him bow to her will completely. He'd trusted her enough to let her shatter him like this.

As he caught his breath, Hope shifted, her movement causing him to slip out of her and he shuddered from over sensitivity.

The door slammed against the wall and Hope turned to find Kol staring at them, wide eyed.

"Bloody hell, I didn't need to know what you was into," Kol shouted.

Instead of saying anything, Hope threw him out and locked the door.

"Again? People just can't leave us alone," she sighed and buried her face against her lover's neck.

"I'll be back in an hour. Make it two, while I get a drink, or three." Then there was the sound of Kol walking away and they were alone once more.

"Hope?" Ryan whispered, uncertainty bleeding into his voice.

"It's okay. Shh, shh. It's okay." She kissed his cheek as she removed the blindfold. "It was just my uncle Kol. If he tries anything, I'll make sure he regrets it.

Gently, she released his hands and kissed his wrists, unable to fight the soft smile as she did so. His limbs trembled as blood returned to them and she massaged him to ease the strain she'd put on them.

As she soothed away the aches she'd caused him, he watched her, his expression so open and vulnerable, that once she was finished, Hope found herself wrapping her arms around him and rolling onto her side, so she could press his face against her neck. He was so much bigger than she was that he should have made her feel small in comparison, but instead, she felt this overwhelming need to protect him, care for him.

Gently, she carded her fingers through his hair and whispered, "What would I do without you? I don't even want to think about it. You fit me, in every way I never knew I needed until now."

"I love you," he mumbled against her neck. "I know you don't feel that way about me, but this is enough."

Tugging on his hair lightly so he'd lift his head, Hope looked him in the eye as she said, "I'm not sure exactly how to describe what I feel for you. But I care about you, more than as just a friend, or someone I like to have sex with. Being with you makes me happier than I'd ever thought I'd be with anyone outside my family."

A genuine smile tugged at his full lips and he tucked his head back against her neck. Hope rolled onto her back, taking him with her so that he was lying across her body, and traced patterns across his shoulders.

"When do you think your uncle will be back?"

"Who knows? With Kol, he'll show up when he feels like it." Hope kissed his temple and pressed her cheek against his curls.

"You don't sound worried."

"It's Kol. If anyone can understand caring about someone they're not supposed to, it's him."

Ryan remained silent, waiting for Hope to continue, so she did, telling him how Kol met and fell in love with Davina Claire, the witch he was supposed to stop at all costs. As she spoke, she continued twisting locks of his hair around her fingers, loving the feel of the silken strands.

Finally, she ended her tale and fell silent.

"Your family has a history of loving people who they're not supposed to."

Instead of replying, Hope shifted beneath him so that she was cradling his hips between her thighs, then she scraped her nails across his back. Something twisted in her heart at his words and she couldn't bring herself to speak. So she responded the only way she could, by using her body to do the talking for her.

Sex was easier than trying to voice what she was feeling, since she herself couldn't even understand the emotions playing through her mind and heart. Giving into her lust didn't require thinking or baring her heart to anyone, even to the man she'd taken as a lover.

"You're doing this on purpose. You're an evil tease." Ryan rocked against her, exhaling heavily as he grit his teeth.

"So do something about it," Hope challenged, kissing his shoulder.

"Minx."

With a sharp thrust of his hips, he was inside her once more, filling her, stretching her so deliciously that Hope knew that she'd be addicted to his body for the rest of her life.

"Damn." He buried his face into her neck as he started to move. "Goddamn."

"You feel better every time," Hope hissed, wrapping one leg around his waist as high as she could and bracing her other heel into the bed so she could match him thrust for thrust.

"You're incredible. Hope. Goddamn, I love you."

He shifted the angle of his thrusts so that he could stroke that place inside her. Nothing felt better to her than having Ryan between her legs, whether she was dominating him, or they were making love like this.

"Yes, just like that!" Hope arched, encouraging him on.

To further increase her pleasure, Ryan pressed his thumb against her clit and rubbed it hard, making Hope scream. She thrashed beneath him, bucking as hard as she could, as she clawed her nails into him, desperate for the ecstasy he brought her.

A shocking realization dawned on her as her climax overtook her. She was in love with him. Desperately, completely, wholly in love with the man known as Ryan Clarke. The emotions flooding her heightened her pleasure and she cried out.

As her orgasm faded, Hope blinked, to find Ryan staring at her, dark eyes wide and vulnerable, on the verge of tears.

"What's wrong?" Hope asked, concerned.

"You love me?" He breathed, his lips trembling.

She'd said that out loud? She hadn't realized it, but judging by the expression on his face, her inward thoughts had been vocalized. Cradling his cheek and brushing her thumb across his lips, she brushed her lips across his forehead.

"Hope. Answer me, please," he begged, his voice cracking.

She smiled now, her heart swelling once more with the knowledge that she loved the man she'd taken into her bed and inside her body. Now, he held a place within her heart. Tracing the furrows between his eyes, she kissed his cheek.

This was the love of a woman, not the puppy love of a girl first exploring romance that she'd felt for his brother, and this change in how she loved was why it took her longer to understand the feelings she had for the man in her arms.

"Yes, Ryan, I love you." Hope kissed him softly, the taste of salt on her lips.


	10. Chapter 10

Hope rubbed her hands together as she and Ryan sat in the front sitting room, waiting. Kol was due anytime and facing her only surviving male blood relative besides baby Nik made her nervous.

A few moments later, right on the two hour mark, the door opened and two sets of footsteps on the foyer, one heavier, one in higher heels crossed the marble. Good. Maybe Davina would be able to defuse the situation.

"Hope!" Kol called.

"In here, Uncle Kol." Hope struggled to keep her voice even.

A few moments later, Davina and Kol entered the room and Hope stood up to face them. Almost instantaneously, Hope found herself engulfed in Kol's arms and the ancient vampire held her as tight as he could.

"Don't you ever do that again," Kol whispered ragedly. "I've already lost four brothers and I'm going to lose even more of my family before I'm ready to go, so don't you dare take yourself away from me too."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Hope repeated, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Pulling away from her so he could look her in the eye, Kol said, "Nik may have been a pain in my ass with his daggers, but at the end of the day, I knew he did what he did for family. Even when I was angry with him for locking me away, I knew he did it for family. Now it looks like you inherited that from him."

"What can I say? I am my father's daughter."

Kol pulled her close again as he said, "You're the best parts of all of us. Elijah's sense of honor. Nik's loyalty to family.. Finn's judgment, annoying though it was, my interest in magic, it's all in you now to carry that on. Yes, I know Freya has her son, but you are the best of the vampires in the family. Don't you dare take yourself away again."

"It seemed like a good idea at the time."

"Next time you feel that urge, you call me, and I'll help you figure things out. No one knows more about magic than I do. I can promise you that."

"I promise."

Hope returned to Ryan's side and Kol and Davina took the seat across from them.

"Speaking of your boyfriend, you take it upon yourself to remove yourself from our memories and the first time I see you again, I see more of you than I ever thought I would "

"People really should learn to knock," Hope muttered and glanced at Ryan and he had the audacity to smirk.

"Considering I just found out that my niece erased herself from my memories, I'd say my lapse in manners could be forgiven."

"Um, you're just one in a long line of people who've barged in on us at the wrong time," Hope explained. "One of them being my most recent ex, who is his younger brother." She gestured to Ryan. "Fortunately for everyone though he saw even less of me than you did."

"You mean you never-" Kol cut himself off, unable to vocalize his thoughts after what he'd seen that morning, then laughed.

"Hope, next time you feel backed into a corner, you call us. No matter what, we'll find a way around your problems without you resorting to you erasing yourself," Davina said, her voice earnest as she skillfully guided the conversation away from what Kol had walked in on that morning.

"Promise us," Kol demanded.

"I promise."

"Good." Kol nodded once, accepting her word as a done deal.

"Malivore's still around and causing problems though," Hope said. "So between you and Ryan, I'm hoping one of you can come up with a way to destroy him, permanently. Because the only way I can think of right now involves me becoming a full tribrid and jumping into the portal."

"That's not happening," Ryan and Kol said at the same time and the two men looked at her, an understanding passing between them.

"If you're his weakness, enough of your blood should close the portal. And as for Malivore himself, we'll find a way that doesn't involve you erasing yourself again." Davina massaged her husband's shoulders, attempting to get the tension in them out as she spoke.

"How much of my blood?" Hope asked.

"No more than a pint," Kol said. "Malivore doesn't get to take you away again. No matter what."

"Okay. So what, we cut my veins and put my blood into a container and throw the container into the portal?"

"It would work best with a person, but yes. Enough of your blood should do the trick." Ryan wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her hair.

"So, cut my veins and close the portal."

A note appeared on the coffee table between them and Hope leaned over to pick it up.

"Landon and Raf disappeared," Hope sighed as she read through the note. "Lizzie wants to know if we've seen him. Which means that since we haven't, we need to head to the school and figure out what's going on, because this has got to be one of their stupidest ideas to date. Malivore bait and kid who's been a werewolf for less than a year aren't the best to trust to survive on their own."

"I swear my stupid little brother is just begging Daddy Dearest to possess him at this rate."

"Okay. Let's get the blood to close the portal before we go find out what Landon's up to."

Reaching out her hand, she caught a tumbler off of the drinks cabinet and then used magic to slice her wrist.

While Kol and Davina went to the portal to try to close it, Hope and Ryan headed towards the Salvatore school.

When they arrived at the school, snow was falling and Hope looked up at the sky, unable to shake the sense of unease creeping through her veins.

"Please tell me I'm not the only one who thinks snow this time of year isn't a little odd?" Hope frowned at the clouds hanging low overhead, heavy with snow.

"You're right," Ryan agreed. "Something about this feels a little like a monster my father would send."

"Do you happen to know any who's got the M.O. of making it snow at least a month before it's supposed to start sticking?" Hope asked, catching a snowflake on her fingertip.

"I've got a few ideas, but I don't know enough about what this thing is doing to know for certain."

"Couldn't you give us a clue what you think might be doing this?"

"I'll have to see some more of how it affects people to know for certain. I have less than five monsters my father could have sent for me or my stupid little brother, so if you'll please allow me to work through my list?"

"Okay," Hope acquiesced.

When they walked into the building, Hope stared around her in shock, then looked at her companions. Everyone at the school had apparently lost their minds to being overly cheerful, holiday making fools and Hope knew they were in trouble.

"Since when does he act like that?" Ryan asked, staring at the vampire hunter as he laughed and drank from a cocoa mug.

"So I'm not the only one seeing this."

"Hm. I know what's doing this." Ryan folded his arms across his chest and shook his head in semi-amazement. "The Krampus."

"The who?"

"The Krampus. It's an anti-Santa. Seeking out people unaffected by the Christmas spirit. Which is apparently what's happening here."

"Why are we immune?" Hope found herself wrapping her hands around Ryan's arm, tugging him closer.

"Because something in our lives either makes us miserable or makes us hate the holiday season."

"I lost most of my family. What's your excuse?" Hope raised an eyebrow.

"I've never spent a single Christmas surrounded by people who cared about me. I've always been alone, so I wouldn't know the first thing about being merry with people who loved me."

"You never had a single Christmas?" Hope looked up at the man she loved, her heart twisting for him.

"Unless you count watching the people around me make merry while I was alone, then no, I've never had a single one."

"Hope, please tell me you're still here because of my note and not to make merry and eat figgy pudding," Lizzie pleaded as she approached them.

"We're here because of the note."

"Now, could someone explain to me why everyone acting so damn happy?"

"It's the latest monster. Which means that Malivore isn't sending this one after Landon, but after one of us instead." Hope looked at her companions, then back at Lizzie. "Which also means Landon and Raf need to be found and brought back since they left for something that doesn't seem to be happening right now.

"What do you need me to do?"

"Since you seem to be the only one in this building as unaffected by this holiday cheer as we are, you're the best one to go after them. While you're gone, we'll see what we can do to figure out how to find the Krampus and kill it since it's probably coming after one of us, not overly, cheerful merry making people."

"I know how to do that. All you have to do is ask."

"Oh, good, Hope, you're here!" Josie smiled widely as she approached them, a plate of cookies in her hand.

The smell of butter and sugar mixing normally would have had Hope's mouth watering, but right now, all she wanted to to was smack the plate to the ground and grind it into pieces beneath her heel. She exhaled through her nose in an effort to keep herself from losing her temper and smiled at her friend.

"You're happy today," Hope commented, exchanging glances with Lizzie who was staring at her sister with a horrified expression on her face.

"Well, you're coming back to school, which is a very good thing and in effort to keep with the holiday spirit, I decided that no matter what happens, I'm going to accept it as being what's meant to be."

"What are you talking about?"

"Landon, he never made a decision between us."

"I made that decision for him when I started sleeping with his brother," Hope said, then whispered to Lizzie, "Run."

Lizzie nodded and slipped away when Josie glanced down at the plate in her hands.

"That doesn't change his feelings for you though. Cookie?" Josie asked, holding out the plate of frosted treats.

"No thanks. We've got a monster to kill and I'm not feeling in the mood for sweets right now."

"Okay." Josie's smile didn't fade and she turned to find someone else to give her cookies to.

"We really need to kill this Krampus," Hope said. "How do we do it?"

"To kill a Krampus, you need to stab it in its very tiny heart."

"How do you find it?"

"Put the fire out and it will show up if it truly is after one of us." Ryan walked towards the fire place, shedding his jacket as he went.

With a sharp flick of his wrist, he threw the coat across the flames and stepped back.

"Hey, what's with the fire going out?" Kaleb set the giant bowl of egg nog he'd been carrying on a nearby table.

"We're trying to catch a monster, so I suggest you get back," Hope said. "Unless you want to wear that egg nog once the Krampus shows up."

She raised her hand and the lights went out, engulfing the room in gloom.

The first sign that something was up came from the swirling dust where the flames used to be and Ryan caught Hope's hand in his, his body tensing.

"I think it might be after me," Ryan whispered. "So step back and make it look like I'm alone."

Hope looked up at Ryan, worry flooding her, but she did as he requested.

When the nightmarish creature solidified into its body, it gaze locked on Ryan, approaching him slowly. Then suddenly, it's long tongue shot out of its mouth and wrapped itself around Ryan's neck, strangling him.

Furious, Hope threw a knife from the nearby table, severing its tongue, and shouted a spell, throwing it backwards and forcing it to drop the bag it carried. She leaped at it, punching it in the face, but before she could land a fatal blow, it crumpled and Hope looked over to find Alaric standing there with a crossbow.

"Not in my school, you don't. Now, who wants cocoa?"

"If they're still affected, it's not dead." Hope glanced back at the merry makers, then at the body on the ground.

Before she could make a step towards it, the bag it dropped started to move and a friendly looking old man climbed out of it.

Hope looked at Ryan, then at the man standing there.

"Santa?" Hope couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"Merry Christmas, one and all!"

"Well, I guess Santa is real." Ryan raised an eyebrow in Hope's direction.

"Well, of course I'm real. And after spending so long trapped in the dark, thanks to that thing, I'm free, because of you, Hope Mikaelson."

"How do you know my name?"

"Everyone was a child once and I know the name of every child to ever exist. Who could forget the existence of the tribrid? Or someone with the name Alaric?" He smiled at Dr. Saltzman, then fixed his gaze on Ryan. "You though. You and I never crossed paths."

"I've always been as I am," Ryan said, his mouth twisting with a silent challenge towards Santa.

"No childhood at all. Trapped in an existence so cut off from the world that the holiday spirit never even had a chance to touch your life."

"If you know that much about me, how is it you don't know my name?"

"I can feel your sadness, the aching loneliness and pain tearing you apart."

"He's not alone. Not anymore." Hope brought one of Ryan's hands to her lips and kissed his knuckles.

The Krampus started to move and Santa turned to face it, his expression darkening.

"I thought it was dead!" Alaric readied his crossbow again.

"You missed its very tiny heart. Put that away though, Alaric. This is my fight now."

With that, Santa threw himself into the match with more speed and force than Hope had expected and the fight was on.

"Damn, dude got speed!" Kaleb shouted, enjoying the battle far more than he should have.

"How do you think I get around the world so fast?" Santa asked as he threw another punch.

After several more exchanges of blows, Santa finally stabbed the Krampus in its heart and stood up.

"Now that the beast is dead, I believe there are presents for me to hand out."

"It's October," Hope said as she silently light the lights and fire with a wave of her hand.

"Christmas is a state of mind, Hope. And I'm in the mood to make merry, now that I am free. People have wishes I need to fulfill. So hurry up, write your wishes down and place them in the fire. We will make this a true Christmas, even though it is a little early."

Hope grabbed a small slip of paper off a nearby tray and a pen. Handing them to Ryan, she raised them so he could take them if he wanted.

"I've already gotten more than I ever thought I would." He brushed her hair out of her face and smiled softly. "With you in my life, it feels too selfish to think of asking for more."

"Well," Santa cut in. "In that case, you'd better look up."

Hope and Ryan both did as Santa said and found a sprig of mistletoe hanging from the rafters. Laughing, Hope stood on tiptoe and kissed Ryan and he cradles her cheek as he responded.

"Is there nothing you want?" the old man asked, studying Ryan.

"The only thing I could think to ask for, not even you could give me, I'm afraid."

"Very well. Hope?"

Hope grabbed a slip of paper and wrote _I wish Ryan would have the best Christmas ever_ then handed it to Santa.

"This is your wish?" He raised an eyebrow at her.

"I might be struggling with getting into the Christmas spirit this year, but truthfully? There's nothing I can think of that I might want. I've got my surviving family in my life, I'm back at the only place I've ever felt like I've belonged, besides home, and I'm happy with Ryan. What else could I ask for?"

Santa smiled at her and raised his hands, and the lights and other decorations became even prettier than they were, the table where the food was extended a bit and even more food appeared on it, and people's clothing changed into cocktail party wear. When she looked down, Hope realized that she was no longer wearing jeans and a blouse. Instead, she was now wearing a dark blue, knee length dress with silver high heels.

With a wink in her direction, Santa moved on to the next person.

"What did you wish for?" Ryan asked, curious.

"If I tell you, it might not come true." Hope kissed him again and carded her fingers into his hair. "Now, come on. Dance with me."

She guided him away from the crowd and they started slow dancing to I'll be Home for Christmas.

"Today was surprisingly more violent than I was expecting," Hope said. "But it's turning out much better than I thought it could."

"Merry Christmas, Hope."

"Merry Christmas, Ryan."


	11. Chapter 11

After they'd danced for several hours, Hope and Ryan collapsed on the couch and Hope moved them so that she was sitting against the arm of the couch with Ryan lying in her arms. Once they were comfortable, she unbuttoned the top three buttons of his shirt and slid her hand beneath the material. Ryan closed his eyes, savoring the feel of her caresses across his skin.

"We come bearing food," Josie said as she set two large, heaping plates on the coffee table beside them.

"And egg nog." Kaleb set the bowl down beside the food.

"Thanks, I'm starving."

Hope shifted and Ryan kissed Hope's inner wrist before sitting up. Leaning over, he handed one plate to Hope, then took the other one for himself.

"So, will you be staying here too?" Kaleb asked Ryan.

"He'll be living with me," Hope said firmly.

"You two are going to need an 'enter at your own risk' sign on your door." Kaleb raised his brows in their direction as he took a sip of his drink. "Don't think I forgot about getting thrown out of your room so you two could have sex again."

Josie choked on her drink and coughed before saying, "Wait, you got thrown out?"

"We did. And then I had to deal with MG and Raf getting uncomfortable because we could hear them. More than once. So you owe me for that, Mikaelson. And you're going to pay me back by being happy with the rest of us and drinking egg nog until you think you might be sick."

"The happy part I can do right now. But the egg nog? The smell is making me think I'm gonna have to do a hard pass." Hope glanced over at Ryan to see that he'd nearly cleared his plate already and snickered. "You really are the son of a bottomless pit."

Ryan chewed and swallowed, then said, "What can I say? I haven't had a Christmas before, so I'm enjoying myself."

"You get two Christmases this year," Josie commented with a slight smile. "This one, and then when Hope goes to New Orleans for the holiday break, which, I'm assuming you'll be there for."

"Aunt Keelin and Aunt Freya will want to make sure you get the best Mikaelson Christmas we can give you. Though I'm not sure we can top Santa showing up and giving us Christmas."

"Hey, no one can top Santa, but being with people you love, that's a damn near close second," Kaleb said.

"I didn't know it was possible to be this happy." Ryan set his plate on the coffee table and caught one of Hope's hands in both of his. "Somehow, I found someone who's just as screwed up as I am, but she fights to be a good person and makes me want to rise above where I came from and to be worthy of her love."

"Do the right thing, for the right reasons, it evens out the rest of whatever you've done in the past out, that's what I think." Kaleb relaxed into his chair and gave a contented sigh.

"Nice party," Kol said as he walked up to them, a tumbler of whiskey in his hand.

"Thank Santa."

Hope tugged Ryan back down so that they were lying against the arm of the sofa with his head on her breast once more. She slid her hand under his shirt, stroking his chest, taking comfort in the feel of his heartbeat beneath her fingers.

"If I see him, I'll be sure to do so."

"After you've kidnapped him and threatened him with whatever you have to to get what you want?" Hope giggled.

"You know me too well." But the smile didn't reach his eyes.

"What's wrong?"

After a long moment, Kol asked softly, "Do you think Santa could raise the dead?"

"More than likely not, since that's dark magic, and Santa is a being of light." Ryan kissed Hope's inner wrist. "Though I'm sure he would if he could."

"Pity."

Ryan linked his fingers with Hope's, tracing his thumb along his forefinger in an effort to comfort her.

"What happened to the portal?" Hope asked after moment, desperate to distract herself from the slowly building need in her blood that his touch ignited. Damn, but she should be sad with the mention of her fallen family, but her mind jumped quickly to taking Ryan to bed instead.

"It disappeared once we poured your blood into it," Kol replied.

"Good. Hopefully this will keep him down for a while." Hope kissed Ryan lightly on the lips.

"Oh, great. The two of you are in the merrymaking spirit too." Lizzie entered the room with Sebastian, Raf, and Landon on her heels. "I was hoping at least you'd still be safe from it."

"We've got two good reasons to celebrate," Hope replied. "Santa killed the Krampus and the portal is closed, for now."

"Santa was here?" Lizzie demanded.

"He was. And he gave people presents. I think he left some things for all of you under the tree too, so you weren't left out."

"With all of that, why not get into the spirit of the season?" Ryan smirked.

"I'm not Hope. I don't find that facial expression cute." Lizzie rolled her eyes.

"She doesn't either. That's why she-"

Hope covered his mouth with her hand because she knew he was about to say something filthy judging by the expression on his face. He looked up at her, his eyes disarmingly innocent, though she could feel him smiling against her hand.

"That's enough about _that_!" Hope's cheeks flamed. Too many people had walked in on them or seen them in the aftermath of their sexual exploits, for him to feel the need to talk about it like that.

"Thank you for shutting him up." Lizzie shuddered. "I do not want to know what you do to him. You are my friend and there are certain things about my friends I'd rather not know."

"Especially if it involves ropes," Kol added.

Hope shot her uncle a dirty look, accompanied by an aneurysm, sending the ancient vampire doubling over.

"Ow, that wasn't very nice!" Kol protested when she released him.

"Oh, my god," Lizzie groaned when she realized what Kol was talking about.

"Kinky." Kaleb nodded once as if in approval.

Ryan shook with silent laughter but Hope refused to move her hand from his mouth. Reaching up, he grabbed her wrist and kissed the palm of her hand.

"You know I love you," Ryan murmured against her skin.

"Doesn't make you any less of an ass."

"But you love me anyway."

Hope leaned over, pressing her lips softly into his, and he smiled into the kiss.

"Hope." Landon shifted from one foot to the other, nervous. "Can we talk?"

"It's a Christmas party, and I'd rather not fight with anyone tonight." This was Ryan's first Christmas with someone who cared about him and she was determined to make sure it was good from start to finish.

Hope combed her fingers slowly through Ryan's riotous curls and he closed his eyes, his breathing slowing a little as he relaxed. She traced one fingertip down his cheek and he turned his head to try to keep her touching him for as long as possible.

It saddened her how something so simple as this had such power over him. Just how much affection had he experienced in his long life? Hope wagered that it wasn't much, and whatever he got more than likely came at a price. So for him to have her touching him now with nothing being demanded in return, of course he'd want as much as he could get. With that thought in mind, she became even more determined that he would never know a day without at least a hug for as long as she lived.

"Fine. I don't want to fight. I just want to say that I am still in love with you and I believe in us. So I'm going to keep fighting for what we had."

"Landon." Hope exhaled into Ryan's hair. "There isn't an 'us' to fight for anymore when it comes to you and me. I'm not who I was when we first met. Nor am I who I was when I went into the pit. I can't go back to that and I don't want to."

"So, you're just going to shack up with my brother and forget you ever had feelings for me?"

"Keep talking to my niece like that, and I just might decide to find out if there truly is no way to kill a phoenix." Kol smiled at Landon and raised his glass in a salute.

"Kol," Davina scolded, though there was no real censure in her voice.

"What? As the last of Nik's brothers, being in his daughter's corner falls squarely on my shoulders. And while I know you can fight your own battles, Hope, people tend to take me more seriously, because I've got the deeds and the mountains of bodies in my wake to back up my threats."

"Hope's not like that." Landon paled at Kol's chilling words and he stepped back just a little

"Actually, I am," Hope shook her head and exchanged a glance with Kol. "Now, since it is a Christmas party, get some food, something to drink and leave me alone."

Landon shot her a wounded look and Hope felt a pang of guilt for the pain she caused him. She had loved Landon and he had loved her, but she'd grown differently than he had and that created an insurmountable chasm. Landon, for all his boyish enthusiasm and affection for her, couldn't see that Hope was a woman now, not the girl he'd fallen for.

"Here are the presents Santa left for you." Josie set the stack down on the coffee table next to the empty plates, then started handing them out. "Lizzie. Sebastian. Raf. Landon."

Josie shoved the last gift into Landon's arms roughly and turned her back on him quickly.

She'd hoped that they'd get back together after Landon realized he was a better fit with Josie and that Hope was with Ryan and not interested in going back. But as she watched them, Hope realized it was a vain hope.

"Wonder what Santa gave you," Lizzie commented to Sebastian, drawing Hope's attention away from her ex and her friend.

Something in her voice had Hope raising an eyebrow. Sebastian grinned and Lizzie ducked her head in response.

Well, looked like she wasn't the only one who'd fallen for the bad boy and something definitely happened between the witch and vampire while they were on their road trip. Maybe this would be good for the both of them, acknowledging their feelings for each other.

Though if Sebastian did anything to hurt Lizzie, Hope would make him pay for it. Hope met his gaze, her mouth set in a firm line and Sebastian nodded once as if acknowledging her silent threat.

"Love is the greatest destroyer," Alaric said softly as he looked over the scene.

Hope looked up at him, startled, but the headmaster shook his head and put his finger to his lips.

"Later," he mouthed.

No one else seemed to have heard him, so she nodded once and tightened one arm around Ryan's torso. What sort of destruction did Dr. Saltzman see coming? Was it just the falling apart of relationships? Or would something even worse come about?

Suddenly, Hope realized what he had seen to make him say that. Landon and Raf watching Hope and Ryan, their faces sad, and Hope staring down Sebastian, threatening him if he hurt Lizzie, their alliance hanging by the barest thread. One wrong step and they would turn on each other, especially if romances fell apart or drove a deeper wedge between friends and former friends. Love could be the greatest savior, but in this case, it truly could destroy everything they'd worked so hard to create and save.

"This has been better than the best Christmas I could have ever dreamed of," Ryan whispered.

"I love you, Ryan Clarke." Hope pressed her face against his hair and breathed deeply, taking in his scent and allowing it to soothe her. He was here and free of Malivore, so anything else, whatever the sphinx saw coming for them, they could deal with together.


	12. Chapter 12

Hope giggled as Ryan scooped her into his arms.

"We need to finish unpacking," Hope protested. "I've got classes in the morning."

"Unpacking can wait. And you don't need to be unpacked to go to class." Ryan laid Hope on the bed and knelt beside her.

"This will all just be waiting for me when I get out of class."

"You don't trust me to put your clothes into drawers?" he teased.

Sitting up, Hope pulled his t-shirt off over his head, then lay back, unable to fight the urge to run her fingers down his chest as Ryan braced himself on his elbows so he could hover above her. He leaned down and kissed her, his tongue sliding into her mouth.

"I love you, Hope." He kissed her again, smiling against her lips.

After a few moments, Ryan pulled away from her mouth and sat back on his heels, staring down at her for a long moment as he chewed on his lower lip, his dark eyes twinkling with mischief. Scooting down the bed, he pressed an open mouthed kiss to the skin exposed by her shirt riding up her above her skirt. He trailed his lips up her stomach as he pushed her shirt towards her head.

Once the shirt was on the floor, Hope tugged his head down so she could kiss him.

"I love you," Hope mumbled against his mouth. She couldn't get enough of him, needed him, desperately.

Before things could go where she wanted them to, someone banged on the door and Hope groaned.

"What?"

"Did someone get rid of the espresso machine?" Alaric demanded. "Like someone tall with dark hair who likes pretending to be other people?"

Ryan started laughing then and hid his face against Hope's neck so Alaric couldn't hear his mirth through the closed door.

"Did you?" Hope whispered.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I don't like coffee."

"Who doesn't like coffee?"

"Me. I actually am a tea drinker."

"Hope?" Alaric's voice drew her attention away from Ryan's mouth on her neck.

"Maybe it broke?" She fought back a whimper when Ryan nipped at the spot beneath her ear.

"It could have been replaced."

"So replace it?" Hope caught the inside of her cheek with her teeth to stifle her moans as Ryan slid his fingers beneath her panties.

"I take it Ryan's not being very helpful, is he?"

Smirking, Ryan tore her panties off to give him better access to her and Hope prayed that the sounds of his fingers plunging into her couldn't be heard.

"He's not a coffee drinker, so he wouldn't know the first thing about the machines required to make it. If you want espresso, get another machine." Hope threw back her head, biting her lip as she rocked against Ryan's hand.

"Tell him thanks for nothing. That machine was brand new." Alaric stomped away.

"You're evil, Ryan Clarke. An evil, evil tease." Hope whined.

"But you can't deny that it feels so good."

Ryan stripped out of his own clothing and then with a sharp thrust, he was fully inside her. To muffle her cries, Hope kissed him hard, but even then, she knew that anyone with good ears could hear them if they listened.

God, she really should have thought this through. She liked having sex with Ryan too much to be around people with good hearing.

"Stop thinking," Ryan growled as he started to move within her.

"Make me." Hope caught his lower lip between her teeth.

"God damn, Hope. I love you."

Hope scraped her nails hard across his back and he groaned.

"Damn you. Damn you," Ryan hissed.

"Turnabout's fair play," Hope said as she hooked her leg higher around his waist, allowing him to penetrate her more deeply.

Ryan swore as he started to pound into her as hard as he could.

"Ryan!" Hope wailed, arching beneath him.

"So good. Damn it, Hope, you feel so good."

Hope bit his neck in effort to silence her cries of pleasure and Ryan moaned into her ear at the pain. Digging her fingers into his back, she clung to her lover, whispering his name over and over again as they writhed against each other.

Finally, it became too much and the coil snapped. As the pleasure crashed over her, she screamed, not caring who might hear them.

When they caught their breath, Ryan rolled onto his side, cradling her against his chest.

"I love you," Hope whispered, running her fingers through his curls.

"You're an incredible woman, Hope Mikaelson." Ryan kissed her cheek softly.

Hope started giggling then.

"What?"

"I'm gonna need to put up a silencing spell so people don't hear us."

After classes that afternoon, Hope found Sebastian abusing the training dummies with his sword. Something about his movements told Hope that he was struggling with some internal dilemma that would be better if he didn't keep it inside.

"You wanna talk about it?" she asked. "Look, if you want to make it here, you need a friend, or at least an ally. And you can talk to me. I won't judge you or think you're less than for whatever your story is."

"How can I believe that?"

"I'm the daughter of Niklaus Mikaelson, the Great Evil, the Original Hybrid. I've got no right to look down on anyone."

Sebastian studied her for a long moment, then finally, he started to talk. "My parents sold me to merchant sailors when I was a child. I ran away at every port and they found me, every time, somehow. And the punishments they devised for me..." he trailed off.

"They were vampires."

"Yes." Sebastian looked down, his mouth working.

"You're not broken, Sebastian. What they did to you, it was horrible, but it's not your fault. You survived and now you've got a chance to make yourself into something better than they wanted you to be."

"I don't know where to start."

"Just be yourself and don't let your past define you. Hell, if my dad could reform, I'd say a pirate can too."

"So, an ally?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Or at least someone to talk to who you know won't judge too harshly."

"Even if I told you I was sleeping with Elizabeth Saltzman?" The expression on his face told her he was looking for a fight, that he wanted her to reject him, to turn away from him in disgust.

"Break her heart, I'll break your face, but no. I won't judge for that."

"Alright, Hope. I'll consider your offer."

"It's okay to be afraid, you know. Just don't let your fear destroy your chances at the life you want."

"I'm not good enough for her. I don't deserve her."

"It's not about what we deserve when it comes to love. The heart wants what it wants and Lizzie cares about you. Don't push her away. You might not feel like you deserve her, but you can fight to become someone you feel worthy of her."

"Thank you, Hope."

"If you ever want to talk, I'll listen."

"I just might take you up on that."

Hope nodded once and then walked away to try to find one of her other friends. Maybe Josie would be willing to talk to her and they could make strides into being best friends again.

A few minutes later, Hope found Josie in the library working on a dark spell with an hourglass sitting nearby.

"That's more than just a dangerous spell," Hope commented as she read over the spell as best she could considering the paper was upside down.

"I know. It's something Vardemus had me working on.

"Two things. One thing, Vardemus isn't headmaster here any longer so I don't think he'd care if it was late, and two, I know more about dark magic than most people do considering I'm from New Orleans, capitol of black magic, and two, I have actual resources if you want them.."

When she was done with this, she was going to spank Ryan at the very least, Hope swore.

"Let me help you put a barrier around it," Hope offered.

"What kind of barrier?"

"An hourglass will break down over time, no matter what you do, but a barrier spell will keep it together for a little longer, at least according to Vincent."

"Who's Vincent?" Josie asked.

"The biological father of my aunt, Freya, and her wife Keelin's, son, my cousin, Nik."

"Why was I selected?"

"Because you're trusting, and far more powerful than you give yourself credit for."

"You think I'm powerful?" Josie asked.

"I know you are. Never doubt that again."

Josie nodded with a slight smile.

"I know a spell that'll keep the hourglass protected for a while," Hope commented.

"How long will the spell hold?"

"Not as long as we need it to, but long enough for us to figure out what to do next."

Inwardly, Hope promised herself that she would punish Ryan. As much as she loved him, how dare he do this to her friends and promise that an hourglass would last indefinitely? Even a new witch knew that it wasn't the case.

"Let's get this as protected as best we can," Josie said.

Kneeling down, Hope held her hands out and Josie took them. Together, the pair chanted a spell to protect the hourglass.

Once they were certain the hourglass was protected, Hope stood up and held out her hand.

"Promise me you won't mess with dark magic any more unless absolutely necessary. You know what it does to you."

"I promise."

"Good." Hope hugged Josie tightly. "If you need any help, you know you can come to me."

The girl might have been her step sister under better circumstances and Hope wished they could be as close as they were before she jumped. Maybe they could get there. But she'd have to come clean about Ryan being Vardemus, or get Ryan to come clean about it if they were going to become close again.

Releasing her, Hope made her way to her bedroom. Something was wrong. She wasn't sure what was going on, but she could feel it, a sense of foreboding.

"Ryan?" she called, looking around.

He'd said that he would be back by now. So why where was he? Before she could do anything to try to find him, she hit the ground, screaming in pain. Someone was trying to hurt Ryan!

"Hope!" Kaleb's voice cut through the pain and Hope realized she was being carried to the bed.

"Ryan. Find Ryan!"

"Josie! Stay with Hope! Lizzie! Come with me!" Kaleb shouted.

Josie pillowed Hope's head on her lap and she ran her fingers through Hope's hair as her body spasmed.

What was happening to Ryan? Who was hurting him and why?

"He'll be okay," Josie kept saying over and over again.

Finally, the pain subsided and Hope sat up slowly.

"Are you okay?" Josie asked.

"The pain's stopped, so I think he's okay." Hope pushed hair hair out of her face and tried to stand up, only to sway on her feet.

"Sit down." Josie helped Hope sit back down on the bed.

"I need to get to him."

"Kaleb and Lizzie will bring him here. He's in good hands," Josie assured her.

Hope nodded and lay back down.

After several long moments, someone knocked on the door and Josie answered it.

"Hope. I'm here." Ryan lay down beside her. "Your friends got me out."

"What happened?" Hope cupped his cheeks and searched his face.

"Someone thought I was still connected to Malivore and wanted to use that for something or other. I don't know what it was exactly. But your spells kept them from being able to do what they wanted."

"They hurt you. I felt it."

"I'm safe now, sweetheart. I'm safe."

"You're not going to leave the grounds without me from now on until we figure out who did this to you and why."

"Okay. I can deal with that, because getting kidnapped wasn't on my list of things to do, ever." He grinned and kissed her softly.

Hope tucked her head under Ryan's chin and wrapped her arms around him.

"I love you," Hope whispered.

Someone knocked on the door and Hope called, "Come in."

Sebastian stood there, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"You said I could come to you if I wanted to talk."

Hope and Ryan sat up so that they were leaning against the headboard and she gestured to the chair beside them.

"I know it's probably selfish of me to come here after what you've been through tonight, but I'm- I-" He shook his head. "I'm scared. I don't- I can't-"

"Breathe, Sebastian."

"Could you put up a silencing spell? I'd rather not have the entire school hear me like this."

Hope nodded and once the silencing spell was in place, Sebastian started to talk.


	13. Chapter 13

"Hope."

Hope pressed her face deeper against his chest. It was way too early to wake up, so why was he insisting on it?

"Hope, you've gotta wake up," Ryan whispered against her hair.

"No."

"It's Coven Day and you need to be there for it."

"Don't wanna. Alyssa Chang is being an extraordinary bitch lately and if I go, I'll _have _to interact with her," Hope groaned and pulled her pillow over her head.

"I thought extraordinary bitch was her normal."

"That's horrible." Hope slapped him lightly and laughed as she sat up.

"I was her professor for a few months. I got to know the girl."

"Very true. Though if she has that bacon candle burning again, so help me, I'm going to throw it at her head."

Hope started dressing, then looked back at Ryan, to find him lying across the bed, his arm behind his head.

"What?" she asked.

"Just enjoying the view," he said with a slow smirk spreading across his face.

Hope pulled on her clothes and then walked over to Ryan and kissed his cheek.

"Behave." Ryan caught her hand and linked his fingers with hers.

"You too. Starting with coming clean with Josie."

"You want me to tell Josie about what I was doing?" Ryan stared at her, terror written across his face.

"Please."

"It'd make it easier for you to be her friend again, wouldn't it, if I come clean?"

"It would, actually. I feel like I'm lying to her because I can't tell her the truth about you."

"Okay. So, what should I do? What do I say?"

"Just tell her that your father was trying to kill you and you were trying to find a way out. And make it clear how sorry you are that you did what you did and now that you're free of Malivore, you see just how horrible you were to her."

"I don't know what to say."

"Just be honest with her. Tell her how terrified you were of Malivore. Josie will be upset with you, but if she knows the horrible way you've been forced to live most of your life, she'll come to, if not forgive you, at least she'll understand you, eventually."

"If she curses me, I'm blaming you." Ryan stood up and ran his hands through his hair.

Standing on tiptoe, Hope pressed her lips to his softly, and said, "I love you."

Ryan hung his head and whispered, "I hurt one of your friends."

"Be honest and be sincere in your apology."

Ryan nodded once and took a deep breath, exhaling slowly.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Hope cupped his cheek.

"Please. Don't speak for me, but you being there will help me get through this."

"Okay. Get dressed and we'll get it done."

Ryan walked over to the dresser and pulled out some clothes.

"You're not going to let me put this off, are you?" he asked as he pulled on a pair of pants.

"No. The sooner you come clean, the better for all of us. You and I don't have to lie to Josie and Josie knows the truth about you and what you really wanted." Hope walked up to Ryan and ran her hand down his bare chest.

"I love you," Ryan wrapped his arms around her and breathed against her hair.

"Love you too."

Ryan sighed and pulled away from her. Catching a curl between his fingers, he hooked it behind her ear, then went to his closet to finish dressing.

After he was dressed, they headed out to try to find Josie.

"You know," Alyssa stepped in front of them, "I can't help but wonder, how does it feel to be sleeping with your little brother's ex-girlfriend?"

"You know something, Alyssa? Eat glass." Ryan smiled widely at her and then caught Hope's elbow to try to keep her from starting anything else.

"She's fond of linking spells," Hope warned.

"And she knows a time delay spell so we wouldn't know we were cursed until later," Ryan hissed.

"Thanks to Vardemus?"

"Yes."

"All the more reason to come clean, so we can try keep ahead of any damage that could come from what she can do with it."

Hope saw Josie headed towards Alaric's office.

"Josie!" Hope called. "We need to talk to you. I know you're probably busy, but it's really important. I promise."

"Fine. I've got a few minutes."

"Privately?" Ryan tugged at the collar of his shirt.

"Of course." Josie looked from Hope to Ryan, concerned now.

Glancing around, she led them to a small classroom, closing the door behind them.

"What's going on?"

"I um, I have a confession to make. And it'll be hard for you to hear, but you need to know."

"What's going on?" Josie's face twisted with concern.

"I did something, horrible, to you. Before Hope stepped in and saved me. I was so desperate and terrified, that I was willing to do anything and everything to try to get out of the situation I was in and it ended up putting you into a terrible situation."

"What did you do?"

"I um, I had a ring that allowed me to look like anyone I needed to look like." Ryan swallowed thickly and hung his head. "I was Vardemus. And your troubles with the hourglass, they're my fault."

"You knew?" Josie asked Hope, her accusations clear.

"Don't blame her, please. Hope was furious when she first found out what I was doing and then she made it so I didn't feel like I had to do what I was doing."

"Why did you do it?"

"Malivore. My father sent me back with a ticking time bomb in me that was killing me and I was so desperate to stay alive and try to free myself from him that I was willing to do anything, including teach a young, powerful witch to use magic that I didn't fully understand."

Josie turned away from them and wrapped her arms around herself.

"I was dying and I didn't have anyone to turn to. I'm sorry."

"Was he actually dying?" Josie asked Hope, her voice breaking.

"Yes, he was. That's why I made him a new body, to free him from Malivore and to keep him from feeling like he had to do stupid things to stay ahead of Malivore."

"I stopped doing anything against you the moment Hope put the pieces together of who I really was and she agreed to help free me from my father. No, that doesn't make things right, but I just wanted you to know that as soon as I had another option, I stopped using you."

"What were you going to do with the hourglass?"

"Um, probably trying to use it against Malivore." Ryan shrugged.

"I'm sorry, Josie," Hope said. "I understand if you don't want to be my friend anymore after this, but I'm hoping that we can find a way to heal, when you're ready."

"I too, am sorry, Miss Saltzman. It was cruel, what I did to you, and I had no right to allow my fear to make me feel like I had the right to do this to you."

"My dad knows?"

"Yes. He found out right before Hope made me a new body."

"Who else knows?"

"Dorian might know? I'm not sure though."

Josie sat down on the nearest chair heavily.

"I'm so sorry, Josie." Hope chewed on her inner cheek and she reached out towards Josie, but dropped her hands.

"It's gonna take time. I understand it, in a way, but I need to process it."

"Take all the time you need, but know that if you need anything, we'll be here, I promise." Hope's heart broke at the realization that her need to be honest with Josie could very well be the end of their friendship entirely.

"I'm not asking you to forgive me. I know I don't deserve it, not after the danger my actions have put you into. I just want you to know that I am sorry."

"What about the letter?"

"I was trying to make things right. I didn't know that the mora miserium would break down the way it is and I was trying to find a way to stop being Vardemus without hurting people more than I already had."

"Okay. I've got things to take care of." Josie headed towards the door, then stopped. "I'm not saying no to being friends again, Hope. I just need time."

"We'll stay out of your way as much as we can until you're ready to talk," Hope promised.

"Thanks." Josie opened the door and walked away.

"That was so much harder than I thought it'd be," Ryan admitted.

She looked up at him, her breath catching in her throat at the sadness on his face. In an effort to comfort him, Hope ran her fingers through his hair and pressed a kiss to his shoulder. Ryan looked down at her and a sad smile pulled at his lips.

"You've got to get to Coven Day," Ryan reminded her.

"Yeah."

"I'll be okay, Hope. You need to spend time with your friends."

Hope nodded, her face rubbing against his shirt as she moved.

"I'll at least try to have fun. But come on, maybe you could look in and see what it's like first.

When they entered the gymnasium, they found Wade in the middle of a presentation.

"And that's why I think I'm a fairy," Wade was saying.

"Being bad at magic doesn't make you anything special," Alyssa cut in to the titters of the people around her.

Wade visibly deflated, but before he got off the stage, he stared off to one side, his eyes wide with horror.

"Who are you?"

Ryan looked towards the direction that Wade was staring in and he hissed.

"What is it?" Hope asked.

"Whatever Wade is, he's not a witch, trust me. He's seeing something no one else should be able to." Ryan walked quickly towards Wade with Hope on his heels.

"You going to make fun of me too?" Wade asked. "Because I'm seeing something I shouldn't be seeing."

"No. I believe you. Remember, I'm not human either and I saw it too."

"What is it?"

"The way it looked, I'd say it's a qareen. An Arabian monster that feeds on insecurities and feeds off of negativity so it can manifest itself in our plane."

"So, Alyssa Chang would help it just fine," Hope commented.

"Any negativity, Hope. Not just hers."

"So, how do we beat it?"

"It will take more research, because I'm not sure. Though Wade, you will be coming with us. We need your help. You being able to see it gives us something to go on."

"Are you really a fairy?" Hope asked, studying Wade carefully as they walked down the hall.

"Yeah. You think I'm crazy though, don't you?"

"If Ryan thinks you're something other than the three main species at this school, I trust him. And you being able to see this thing speaks to you being different, so yeah, I believe you."

"Fairies gain their strength from other people's beliefs in them," Ryan said. "So the more people believe in you, the stronger you become."

"And since no one believes in me, I have no power."

They came around the corner and ran into Sebastian.

"Sebastian, we find ourselves in need of your help," Ryan said.

"What can I do to help?"

"When we say, talk Wade up, do whatever you have to do, but get people to believe in him," Hope instructed.

"There's a qareen running around and Wade can see it because he's a fairy and fairies gain their strength through other people's beliefs in them," Ryan explained. "I've got a few ideas about how to take it down, but we need to do some research first."

"A fairy?" Sebastian raised an eyebrow and looked Wade up and down.

"Yes." Wade lifted his chin, in an attempt to seem confident.

"Alright."

"But you might want to stay with us until then," Hope said. "Wade and Ryan can see this thing while the rest of us can't. So it'd be good to know when this monster is around."

"Right. What do we need to do?"

Hours later, they had a plan together and Sebastian went out to sew belief in the fairy into the minds and hearts of the students at the school.

"We believe in you, Wade." Hope hugged him.

"Thanks, Hope. Having the most powerful witch in this school think I can do this, it helps, a lot." Wade smiled.

"Come on. Time for you to take down your first monster. And since you can see it, lead the way."

When they came down the stairs, the students started chanting Wade's name.

"There!" Wade whispered.

"Time to shine, fairy boy." Hope squeezed his arm. "Holy crap, what is that thing?"

"That's the qareen," Wade said as he walked down the stairs, head held high.

Drawing on the power of the people around him, Wade unleashed a blast of power at the monster, revealing his wings as he did so.

"Holy crap!" Kaleb shouted. "Go, Wade!"

Now, the cheering turned real, and with that, Wade's power grew even more and soon, the qareen was done for. With that, the crowd surged towards Wade, clapping and cheering for him.

After enjoying the moment in the spotlight, Wade walked up to Ryan and Hope.

"Thank you, for believing me and believing in me."

"You deserve to know what you can do, what you're capable of," Ryan said with a slight smile playing around his lips

"Still, that first bit of belief, it felt good."

"Okay, you three," Lizzie joined them. "Hope, we need your help."

"We need all the witches' help," Josie added. She looked from Hope to Ryan, her expression wary.

"What's going on?"

"We think we've got a way to deal with the mora miserium," Josie explained.

"We're going to send it to a prison world, a new one, not the one where our crazy uncle Kai is."

"But you need help to create the Ascendant and to send it there," Hope realized.

"Yes," the twins said together.

"Let's do it."

"

The spell was over and done and Hope decided to try to talk to Lizzie. Though she knew that the blonde would support her sister,and wouldn't want to talk to her she just wanted to make sure they were okay.

"Lizzie!" Hope caught up to her. "Are you two okay?"

"The hourglass is gone, so yeah, I think we're-" Lizzie cut off and disappeared.

"What the hell?"

"What just happened?" Ryan asked, coming around the corner.

"Lizzie just disappeared!" Hope whispered. "Almost like- Oh, my god."

"Like she was sent to the prison world," Ryan hissed.

"Alyssa." Hope ran down the hall and burst into the other witch's room and rifled through her things, coming upon the item she was looking for. The Ascendant. She'd actually done it?

"I'm seriously regretting ever pretending to be Vardemus," Ryan remarked as he took in Hope holding the Ascendant. "Because I'm guessing she switched out the items and then the time delayed spell I taught them did the rest."

The door opened and Alyssa walked through the door. Enraged, Hope pounced.

Using magic, Hope pinned Alyssa to the wall and held up the Ascendant. "I think we need to talk."

"You're hot when you're angry," Ryan whispered against her hair.

"Not now, Ryan. Alyssa needs to be dealt with."

"Later then," Ryan chuckled.

"Of course." With one more smile at her lover, Hope turned the full focus of her fury to the girl she held against the wall.


End file.
